Hard starting ,runs ruff in gear , hesitates, starts with starter fluid easier takes gas in park better , put in gear and sputter sputter barley moves

First any chance the vehicle could have gotten rodent damage, chewed wires, where it was parked while it was dead? I would check for spark if the starter fluid is doing nothing

Sputtering is usually a sign of having a fuel issue. You need to hook a fuel pressure gauge to the fuel rail and confirm that you have at least 40# of pressure at the rail.

Start with testing fuel pressure. Your fuel pump may be bad.
If fuel pressure is correct, have the computer scanned for trouble codes. Autozone (and other parts stores) will do code scans for free.

There are a few possibility on this one. If you run it out of gas or really low on gas you could of sucked junk up from the bottom of the tank and you will need to replace your fuel filter. Another is that your fuel pump us going bad and you would need to check the pressure. Your throttle position sensor may have gone bad. Your idle control valve is another. Your map sensor or mas sensor could be bad

did you disconnect the battery when you changed the starter? are there any codes stored? like james stated if it was starter related it would have happened right after but I also can't think of a starter causing any problems beyond not starting. if no codes I would check plugs, could be bad gas, and make sure all connectors are plugged in from when the car was worked on , something might have came loose or possibly broke.

Mass air flow , crank sensor . I wouldn't discount anything . Having a scan tool that can view engine sensor data would be a great help too , testing fuel pressure and flow and back pressure test the exhaust .
058 Engine Hard to Start or No Start Lean Fuel Condition
055 Engine Hard to Start or No Start Scan Data for EGR
057 Engine Hard to Start or No Start Ignition Module Test
007 Catalytic Converter Testing

Anytime the check engine light is on, you should check the computer for trouble codes. The codes will point you in the direction of the problem and what to troubleshoot.

To start with, you have a throttle body instead of a carburetor.
On that throttle body is a component called an air control valve.
That valve is how the computer controls the idle speed. It should open and close the air flow into the intake manifold as needed.
Is the check engine light on when you are driving ? Have you checked the fuel pressure ?

This is water in your fuel lines. when it was very cold, the water in the lines froze. when it melts, it runs to the injector system and causes these types of things to happen during acceleration. i would pick up some techtron. ths is good stuff. it will remove the water and, clean out the fuel system.

This isn't answer but a couple of things to check or do. First has fuel filter been replaced? Start car and put it in gear. HOLD Brake and Give it gas while still holding brake hard!!!! Doess it buck or miss fire? You said it ran bad to highway. Explain Please !!! will answer after you reply.