The 29-year-old lefty could could earn as much as $3.5 million this year.
Long Island native John Lannan will earn $1.5 million in 2014 if he makes the Mets' major league roster, according to Joel Sherman. The 29-year-old lefty could earn another $2 million in innings pitched and games started incentives, and he'll be able to opt out of the deal on June 14 if he is not on the Mets' major league roster.
If everything breaks right for the Mets in spring training and the early part of the season, Lannan could be looking at that opt-out clause in his contract. It's hard to see the Mets wasting Jenrry Mejia's innings in the minors if he's healthy after his impressive showing in a handful of big league starts last year. The team's other four starting pitchers—Bartolo Colon, Jon Niese, Dillon Gee, and Zack Wheeler—will be in the team's Opening Day rotation barring injury, and it's possible that one or more of Noah Syndergaard, Rafael Montero, and Jacob deGrom will be deemed major league ready by the middle of June.
It's conceivable that Lannan could still crack the Mets' bullpen as a long- and swing-man of sorts. Carlos Torres is probably capable of filling that role but could transition to middle relief if the Mets carry both pitchers.
