Following their whiff on the former Braves ace, the Mets are reportedly looking for more pitching.

The Mets are still shopping for starting pitchers, having come up short in their pursuit of Julio Teheran.

Top-tier options are not what the New York Mets are searching for in a starting pitcher.

The Mets were reportedly pursuing free agent pitcher Julio Teheran this week, according to MLB Insider Andy Martino. The Mets were reportedly a “close second” to the Baltimore Orioles for the former Atlanta Braves pitcher, but Teheran could still be available if he chooses to opt out of his contract by March 25. The $50,000 signing bonus that Baltimore offered was the decisive element in Teheran’s acquisition.

The 33-year-old veteran was not acquired by the Mets, but they did disclose their current intention to address the depth of their starting pitching; they intend to acquire a lower-end starter.

The Mets are not pursuing possibilities like Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery because of the luxury tax and their respective price tags, according to multiple sources. They have also decided to overlook Trevor Bauer and show little interest in choices like Michael Lorenzen and Mike Clevenger (mostly because of their asking costs).

With respect to their current rotation, the Mets are relying heavily on high-leverage pitchers (Luis Severino, Sean Manaea, and others), which means they need high-floor starters. Kodai Senga’s injury to his shoulder made matters worse by causing Jose Quintana, Adrian Houser, and Tylor Megill to be promoted from their original depth platoon to the starting rotation.

The Mets are searching for that final pitcher to round out their high-risk rotation and provide insurance in case another pitcher gets hurt (Severino, who is starting as Senga’s replacement, has struggled to stay healthy). This is evident in Teheran’s near-miss. Even still, Teheran has battled injuries and inconsistent play since 2020, missing the whole 2022 season in the major leagues, suggesting that the Mets may not have been the best place for him in the first place.

The group hopes to recover from a dismal 2023 campaign marked by multiple “high-risk, high-reward” player missteps. But even though the upside isn’t very high, the Mets need a starter who can be relied upon in a pinch because the rotation is built similarly.