Rick Porcello had no idea what to expect when he entered free agency for the first time in his 11-year career. He’s the 2016 American League Cy Young award winner who’s struggled in the three years since, including a 14-win season for Boston that featured a reprehensible 5.52 ERA in 2019. But when the Mets called early this offseason — becoming the first team to show interest in Porcello — his eventual decision came into focus.
Growing up in nearby Morristown, NJ, Porcello was a “lifelong fan” of the Mets, so it was a no-brainer when principal owner Fred Wilpon, COO Jeff Wilpon and GM Brodie Van Wagenen made him an offer. Further, the interest was notably mutual. Porcello already had his sights set on the Mets when his five-year tenure with the Red Sox officially came to an end in October. And on Monday, the club finalized the right-hander’s contract: a one-year, $10 million deal that locked in the Mets’ sixth starter.
“To get the opportunity to play for the organization that I cheered on for so many years is a huge honor,” Porcello said in an introductory conference call. “I couldn’t be more grateful, especially coming off a tough year. I’m looking forward to rebounding and doing something special here in New York next season.”
Porcello said there were “several different factors” that led to his ineffective 2019 season. He boiled it down to being unable to execute his pitches, and when the mechanics seemed off, he said his mentality on the mound also deteriorated. He struggled with both aspects throughout his final year in Boston and hopes a new offseason regimen will help build a fresh foundation.
In an effort to rebound, Porcello started throwing much earlier this winter. The 30-year-old is concentrating on drill work and looking at videos of past performances to compare good starts from the bad. Some mechanical aspects are helping Porcello get his arm up in position better, which is already making a difference when he executes pitches.
“It’s a fine line between on and off and I’m just using this extra time that I have in the offseason to leave no stone unturned as far as making sure everything’s on track and I’m prepared to head into spring training and the season throwing the ball the way I know how to,” Porcello said.
Porcello had a Mets special advisor in his corner throughout the signing process; someone who helped move the deal along and someone the right-hander admired.
Al Leiter, in attendance with Mets officials over the course of last week’s Winter Meetings, was one of the first people Porcello thanked during his introductory conference call on Monday. The righty first met Leiter on the concourse at Comerica Park when Porcello pitched for the Tigers in 2009. Leiter, a studio analyst for MLB Network, was getting ready to go on camera.
“We didn’t have a long conversation, but I’ve always been a huge Al Leiter fan,” Porcello said.
That affection actually stems from Leiter’s All-Star season for the 2000 Mets — one of Porcello’s all-time favorite teams. An 11-year-old Porcello watched as Leiter, Mike Piazza, Edgardo Alfonzo, Robin Ventura, and others led the Amazin’s to the Fall Classic against the crosstown rival Yankees in the ultimate Subway Series showdown. Piazza, in particular, is etched in Porcello’s mind.
“One of my favorite memories, I couldn’t tell you the game or what time of year it was, but Piazza hit a home run and that — watching him in person, hitting a home run — was a huge thrill for me,” Porcello said.
Fast forward two decades and Porcello is excited to join a rotation made up of back-to-back Cy Young award winner Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stoman, Steven Matz and another new face in Michael Wacha. Porcello said the Mets are in a position to enter the playoffs in 2020 as he noted how close the team came to doing so during their 86-win season.
“I’ve been watching these guys from afar,” Porcello said of the Mets’ starting rotation. “All these guys are extremely talented guys that are fierce competitors and that’s what I consider myself. I think it’s going to be a great fit and we’re all going to be able to feed off one another.”
