With Lucas Giolito off the table, the Mets should evaluate these 5 starting pitchers.

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto late last week on an unprecedented 12-year contract, forcing the Mets to look elsewhere for a starting rotation replacement.

Lucas Giolito, a right-hander, was one of the targets linked to New York.

Giolito, who spent his season playing for three different clubs, would have made a lot of sense for the Mets on a one- to two-year prove-it deal, but on Friday night, he signed a contract with Boston.

The 29-year-old was reportedly being pursued by several teams, including the Mets, who had an offer on the table. However, they will now need to focus their efforts elsewhere.

Although top arms like lefties Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery are still available, multiple reports suggest David Stearns and company aren’t looking in that class this summer.

In light of that, the following are possible alternatives that the Mets may still choose from to complete their rotation.

LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu

Despite only having reached the 25 start plateau twice in his ten-year MLB career, Ryu is somewhat of an injury concern, but when he takes the mound, he is one of the more dependable and potent southpaws available.

Throughout his career, the veteran had a solid 3.27 ERA and 1.18 WHIP.

After recovering from Tommy John surgery, Ryu only made 11 starts during the previous season, but he was largely successful—allowing two runs or fewer in eight of those appearances while recording a 3.46 ERA and 1.28 WHIP.

The 36-year-old is more than capable of handling himself on the mound against major league hitters; the only question is whether or not he can maintain his health.

Ryu is likely among the best middle-tier arms the Mets have left, and he might be a great fit for them on a one- or two-year contract, much as they did with right-hander Luis Severino early in the free agency process.

LHP Shota Imanaga

Imanaga is among the most fascinating free agent arms available right now.

Although the southpaw didn’t have quite the upside and potential that Yamamoto did when he came to the States, he did have some success in the NPB during his eight years there.

Imanaga just finished a season with the Yokohama Bay Stars that saw him have a 2.66 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 188 strikeouts in 24 starts. In the World Baseball Classic finals, he also started the game for Team Japan against Team USA, giving up just one run in four innings.

Imanaga is undoubtedly the kind of arm the Mets should be considering, though it is still unclear what kind of deal he will want on the open market.

The 30-year-old is a possible long shot because he might be looking for longer contracts than the Mets are willing to offer right now, but if they can work out a deal, adding him to the rotation with Kodai Senga would be beneficial.

RHP Frankie Montas

Like Ryu, Montas just had a season marred by injuries during which he appeared in just one game for the Yankees.

After being traded from the Oakland Athletics to the Bronx, the right-hander never quite worked out. He struggled with a shoulder problem and appeared in just nine games over the course of a season and a half.

Montas’s value is at an all-time low as he heads into free agency.

The 31-year-old, who currently leads the Athletics rotation and finished sixth in the 2021 Cy Young voting, was previously one of the game’s more prominent starting pitchers. Throughout his career, he had a 3.90 ERA.

In an attempt to bolster their rotation, the Yankees have also expressed interest in a possible reunion with Montas; however, if he’s seeking to prove himself again on a short-term basis, he might be a better fit for the Mets.

LHP Sean Manaea

Manaea can undoubtedly be the player the Mets sign who can provide them with some quality innings at this juncture.

Manaea had a successful season with the San Francisco Giants just ended. He had a rough start to the season, giving up over half of his runs in the first month, but after May he pitched to a solid 3.40 ERA in 90 innings worked.

Despite a little uptick in walks, the left-hander did a fantastic job of avoiding hard contact and keeping the ball in the yard (1.1 HR/9).

Until last season, Manaea was a full-time starter for the Giants. However, after being assigned more of a swingman position, he only made 37 appearances with 10 starts.

In the event that the Mets choose to use a six-man rotation in order to give Kodai Senga more rest, Manaea provides the flexibility to switch between the bullpen and rotation as needed.

RHP Michael Lorenzen

With the Los Angeles Angels, Lorenzen began his career as a reliever and moved up to the starting rotation in 2022.

Before being traded to Philadelphia at the trade deadline, the right-hander made his first career appearance in the All-Star game after joining the Tigers the previous season.

In just his second game in a Phillies uniform, Lorenzen threw a 124-pitch no hitter, but he faltered after that, ending up in the bullpen for the remainder of the season and playing mop-up duty in the postseason.

In 153 innings of work, he pitched to a career-high 4.18 ERA and 1.20 WHIP.

With only 31 years of age, Lorenzen has spent most of his career pitching out of the bullpen, so his hard-throwing right arm doesn’t have much mileage left in it.