5 starting pitchers the Cleveland Guardians should target before the trade deadline

2. Luis Severino - New York Mets

The 2024 season continues to be a disaster for the New York Mets, but there is one bright side to things unfolding in this manner. The Mets have a few arms that could be of interest to contending teams at the deadline, with Luis Severino being one of them.

Severino appears to have recaptured his form that made him appear to be the Ace of the future for the New York Yankees before missing all of 2020 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. With a 3.22 ERA and 1.159 WHIP in 10 starts, Severino has been one of the best-starting pitchers for the Mets this season.

There is one area for Severino that may play a factor in any sort of regression he may experience later this season that cannot go unnoticed. A decrease in strikeouts. Severino's 7.7 strikeouts per nine are the lowest of his career and is a continuation of a multi-season trend. The now 30-year-old right-hander has seen his strikeouts per nine decrease from 12.9 in 2019 to 12 in 2021, 9.9 in 2022, and 8 last year.

Even though the drop in strikeouts is very concerning, that does not mean the Guardians should not pursue his services. Severino has postseason pitching experience, and that is something that most of Cleveland's rotation does not have. While Severino has mostly struggled in his 11 playoff appearances, having someone who has been there before and is familiar with pitching beyond the regular season is still quite valuable.