The New York Mets and starting pitcher Luis Severino couldn’t come to terms on a contract in free agency, so the righty signed a deal with the Athletics. But the split wasn’t as cordial as it may have seemed.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today recently reported the Mets severely lowballed Severino in free agency, even though he made it clear he was trying to stay in New York.

“Athletics starter Luis Severino made it clear to the New York Mets that he was willing to stay on a two-year, $40 million contract, but they refused, offering him two years, $34 million, the same as Frankie Montas,” Nightengale wrote. “Sorry, he said, but that’s an insult.”

Offering Severino the same deal that the team offered a struggling Montas feels like a slap in the face to the former Mets star. It’s hard to blame him for leaving at that point.

“For me, I think that wasn’t fair” Severino told New York reporters Friday. “I was trying to stay with the Mets. I asked for less money to stay there, but I wasn’t in their plans. At the beginning, I was shocked, but at the end, I knew it was business, and they need to take care of themselves.”

The Mets could certainly use Severino on their staff right now, especially with Montas and Sean Manaea battling injuries.

The gap between Montas and Severino is a pretty wide one, with Severino being the better arm. The fact that the Mets could have had Severino instead of Montas for a similar price tag is a slap in the face to the Mets faithful.

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