As per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the New York Mets are exploring options to lengthen their starting rotation, as well as alluding to a continued effort to find a viable left-handed relief option.
“Two starters under consideration [are] left-hander Derek Holland, who is also drawing interest from the Reds, Giants, and Rangers and righty Josh Tomlin, who pitched for manager Mickey Callaway [in Cleveland],” Rosenthal wrote. “Someone like Tomlin might be more likely; the Mets probably would prefer a non-roster deal.”
Tomlin, 34, had his 2018 season cut short by a hamstring injury suffered in July before rejoining the team in late-August. Over 32 appearances (nine starts, 70.1 innings), the right-hander pitched to a 6.14 earned-run average with 46 strikeouts, 12 walks, and a career-high 1.479 WHIP.
From 2014 through 2017, Tomlin owned a 4.46 ERA over 91 appearances (81 starts) with a 4.41 fielding independent pitching rating, 1.188 WHIP, a 6.75 strikeouts-to-walks ratio, and a 98 ERA+ rating.
Holland, 32, spent the 2018 season with the San Francisco Giants (3.57 ERA, 3.87 FIP, 1.290 WHIP in 171.1 innings) after playing the first eight seasons of his career with the Texas Rangers (2009 to 2016; 4.35 ERA, 4.25 FIP, 1.328 WHIP) and one year with the White Sox (2017; 6.20 ERA).
Tomlin made $3 million last season with the Indians and Holland earned $1.75 million with San Francisco.
