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Former New York Mets starting pitcher Luis Severino enjoyed a strong 2024 campaign. Finishing with an 11-7 win/loss record, a 3.91 ERA and 161 total strikeouts, the 31-year-old played a key role in helping the club make it to the NLCS for the first time since 2015.
As Severino entered free agency after the season came to an end, the Mets offered him a qualifying offer, which he promptly declined. Eventually, Severino ended up signing a three-year, $67 million contract with the Athletics, after the Mets failed to offer him anything satisfactory.
Speaking to SNY on Friday, Severino talked about how he was always looking to stay in Queens, even willing to take a pay cut to do so, but the Mets ultimately did not see him in their plans.
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"I was trying to stay with the Mets. I actually asked for less money to stay there, but I was not in their plans. At the beginning I was schocked, but at the end I knew that it was business, and they need to take care of themselves," Severino said.
"I told my agent, I'd stay for two years and $40 million, 20 a year. I was getting 22 [million] here [Athletics] for three years. I knew it's going to be less money, but I just liked the environment there, the trainers were unbelievable, everything was good. I was trying to sacrifice more money to stay in a place that I knew I could better. At the end of the day, I was not in their plans," he added.
Luis Severino highlights key differences between life as a Yankees and Mets player
Having spent time on both sides of New York before joining the Athletics this past offseason, Luis Severino talked about the key differences of playing for each team while appearing on the "Foul Territory" podcast on March 13.
"For me, with the Yankees, when you show up for spring training, everything is about you have to win the division. That's it. You had to win it. It's not like a choice. You had to win it," Severino said.
"In New York, because of the team that we had, at first nobody thought we were going to make the playoffs. So, it was more relaxed. More about, 'Go out there. Have fun and play the game.'
"The trainers at the Yankees were unbelievable, but I think the Mets are on a different level. The guy that I worked with was Joe Golia. Since I got to the Mets in spring training, on the first day we put up our routine, and from that day to the playoffs, we didn't miss a touch.
"The nutrionist there is crazy sometimes about stuff, but he's unbelieveable. He's one of the greatest things I've seen. He's on top of everything," he added.
(from 6:12 mark onwards)
As the Athletics aim to get back to the postseason after a disappointing 2024 season, fans will hope newly acquired Luis Severino can hit the ground running in his new home.
