The New York Mets are running out of time—and patience—as veteran right-hander Frankie Montas continues to search for answers on the mound.
Montas returned in June after missing months with a severe lat strain, but his outings have been consistently disappointing.
Through seven starts, Montas owns a brutal 6.68 ERA across 33.2 innings, a stretch that’s left fans and analysts openly questioning his role.
Even his 5.07 FIP—a metric that tries to account for fielding—fails to suggest a dramatic turnaround is coming anytime soon.
This is a team chasing the tough Phillies for the NL East crown, and waiting for Montas to figure it out may cost them dearly.
In a division race where every pitch matters, the Mets can’t afford to keep tossing innings into a burning dumpster.
A contract can’t shield Montas from accountability
Montas was handed a two-year, $34 million deal in the offseason, a risky bet given his injury history.
The Mets were banking on upside, envisioning a mid-rotation arm with high-strikeout potential and playoff experience.
Instead, Montas has looked like a shadow of his former self—ineffective, erratic, and clearly not in rhythm.
Even if his velocity is fine, his command—once a strength—has been nowhere near consistent enough to compete.
Mets fans have seen this movie before: the big-money arm who never quite lives up to the billing.
Brandon Sproat or Nolan McLean? Both may offer more right now
Danny Abriano of SNY recently argued that the Mets need to act fast and elevate either Brandon Sproat or Nolan McLean.
It’s not about unlocking future aces—though both have that ceiling—it’s about getting five competitive innings every fifth day.
McLean has dazzled in Triple-A Syracuse, compiling a 2.60 ERA over 104 innings with significantly improved command and swing-and-miss stuff.
Sproat, meanwhile, owns a 4.07 ERA this season, but that number hides how dominant he’s been over the last month.
Across his last six starts, Sproat has posted a microscopic 0.55 ERA with 39 strikeouts in just 33 innings.
That’s the kind of production that screams “call me up,” especially when the alternative is another shaky Montas outing.
Momentum and confidence matter—and Montas has neither
Pitching isn’t just about mechanics or stuff—it’s also about belief, timing, and rhythm. Right now, Montas has none of those.
Every mound appearance feels like a battle to survive rather than an opportunity to dominate, which drags down the whole team.
There’s a psychological cost to running out a starter who looks defeated before the second inning.
And when you’re fighting tooth and nail in a pennant race, morale matters as much as matchups.
Putting a confident, hungry arm like Sproat or McLean on the mound could inject life into the dugout.
The Mets already made aggressive moves—now they need one more
At the trade deadline, New York didn’t flinch—they loaded up the bullpen with Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers, and Gregory Soto.
Those were win-now moves, signaling the front office is all-in on chasing the division title in 2025.
So why stop there? If the goal is truly October baseball, then Montas can’t keep being the weak link in the chain.
This is a team built to fight, not babysit a struggling pitcher on a rehab arc that’s gone sideways.
It’s like entering a boxing match with a shoulder injury—you might survive a few rounds, but eventually you’ll get caught.
A tough decision—but not a complicated one
There’s no shame in admitting the Montas gamble didn’t pay off, at least not yet. Injuries happen. Slumps linger. Time runs out.
The question isn’t about long-term potential—it’s about today, this week, this stretch of crucial division games.
Both McLean and Sproat are thriving in Triple-A, flashing the kind of sharpness Montas hasn’t shown in months.
The Mets owe it to themselves—and their fans—to give one of those arms a shot before it’s too late.
Sometimes, the hardest part of a season isn’t making a bold move. It’s knowing exactly when to make it.
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