Joey Lucchesi, a former left-handed pitcher with the New York Mets, has decided to leave affiliated Major League Baseball to continue his career overseas. After spending parts of four seasons with the Mets mainly as a starter and swingman, Lucchesi signed with Japan's Chiba Lotte Marines in Nippon Professional Baseball. Despite a strong showing this year, including a 3.24 ERA over 33.1 innings in Triple-A with the Los Angeles Angels organization, he did not receive a call-up to the majors.

Lucchesi, now 33 years old, has a career MLB ERA of 4.15 and has pitched 436.1 innings in the big leagues. His tenure in MLB includes successful seasons as a solid rotation pitcher with the San Diego Padres from 2018-19 before joining the Mets. Over three seasons with New York, he logged a 3.78 ERA and struck out 80 batters. Recently, he has moved between multiple teams, including brief stints with the Giants and Angels.

This shift to Japan represents a strategic move for Lucchesi to rebuild value outside the MLB, potentially securing a more lucrative contract or making a future return to the majors. Analysts expect that his performance in NPB could either attract higher-paying offers from Japanese teams for 2027 or grab the attention of major league clubs during free agency this offseason. It is a common path for former MLB pitchers who want to revive their careers.

Meanwhile, the Mets continue preparing for the trade deadline by offloading veteran assets as they try to salvage value from a challenging season. Lucchesi’s departure signals that some former Mets players are looking for opportunities beyond North America amid shifting team dynamics. For Lucchesi, playing in Japan offers not only a fresh start but also a chance to continue competing at a high level rather than remaining in the minor leagues.