Megill has emerged as the favorite to win the Mets' No. 5 starter job, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.
The 28-year-old right-hander added a splitter to his arsenal over the winter, and so far the results have been encouraging, as Megill has allowed one run over his first five Grapefruit League innings with a 7:0 K:BB. A pitch that can generate more whiffs could be crucial for his fortunes -- after posting a strikeout rate north of 25 percent in the majors in 2021 and 2022, Megill saw that number drop to 18.5 percent last year. The Mets have a hole to fill in their Opening Day rotation due to Kodai Senga's shoulder strain, and while Jose Butto and Joey Lucchesi still have a chance to make their case for the No. 5 job to start the season due to Senga's expected absence, it appears to be Megill's to lose.