The 2024 season will begin the same way that 2022 and 2023 have for the New York Mets.

In 2022, Jacob DeGrom missed Opening Day. Last season, it was high-priced Justin Verlander that was on the shelf to begin the year. Now, add Kodai Senga to the list.

After experiencing arm fatigue during a bullpen session, Senga has officially been put on the IL and will miss the start of the season with a shoulder strain. There is no timeline for his return but fans are concerned that he will miss significant time this season.

So, the question is, where do the Mets go now?

The front office did not spend money this offseason. They brought in short-term options to clear space for next offseason where there is an abundance of options in free agency, especially on the mound. That does not help here in 2024. A rotation that was already thin will be looking for a new fifth option.

3. In-House Replacement

David Stearns spoke with the media on Thursday and expressed that the replacement will come from in-house. This means there are three main options.

First, Tylor Megill. He has been a roller coaster during his time with the Mets. Despite having the size, build, and stuff to be a successful pitcher, Megill has been unable to put it all together. He pitched to a 4.70 ERA in 126.1 innings last season. He was even sent down to figure it out in the middle of the year. The Mets shared that Megill has developed a new off speed pitch. Who knows if this will be enough.

Joey Lucchesi went 4-0 with a 2.89 ERA in nine starts last season. He pitched well down the stretch and came into the season as a nice depth piece for the Mets. Jose Butto will also be a name that is thrown around. He started seven games last season and pitched to a 3.29 ERA with 28 strikeouts and nine walks. He showed better control than Lucchesi during his time on the mound.

The in-house replacement is not intriguing. This is not something that fans will want to see. If there is any optimism from fans, it will dwindle away slowly if any of these three are thrown into the rotation.

2. Prospects

Christian Scott is the top pitching prospect for the Mets. He will begin the year in Triple-A. After this injury, and if Scott looks good in the Spring, bring him up.

Scott has started to crack some Top 100 prospect lists. He has a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and has shown off great command at every level. In 2023, he walked 12 batters in 87.2 innings. Scott has three pitches that he can use in any count. Scott will likely be called up this year at some point but time cannot be wasted at this point.

Blake Tidwell is also an intriguing prospect that can eat innings but is further away than Scott. Either way, bringing a prospect up and letting them get some time on the mound in the bigs will excite fans during what is a difficult time in the rotation.

1. Free Agency

The immediate thought was to go out and sign Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery. Stearns said that they would look in-house but this does not mean that they will not add a pitcher. Now, this may not be the top two names on the board.

The Mets should not feel pressured to just go out and sign a long-term deal just because Senga might miss some time. Instead, they could stay the course and add another one-year deal. There are many pitchers left on the market. Michael Clevinger is a player that would take a short-term deal for the 2024 season.

Fans will want a deal done. In the end, Montgomery would be the name. He has a better upside than Snell and brings a lefty presence at the top of the rotation. Montgomery would have a chance to contribute for years to come.