The New York Mets entered the offseason with a couple of missions: sign Juan Soto at any cost, then replenish and improve a rotation that lost three of its members to free agency — Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana, and Luis Severino.
The first of the aforementioned goals is still a work in progress. The generational talent hasn’t announced his next destination but a decision should come within the next 10 days, and the Mets are very much in play.
Regarding the second item on the wishlist, the Mets took a major step forward in fixing that rotation on Sunday night, when MLB insider Jeff Passan announced a two-year, $34 million deal between the Mets and Frankie Montas.
The Mets are getting a solid pitcher in Frankie Montas
“Right-hander Frankie Montas and the New York Mets are in agreement on a two-year, $34 million contract, pending physical, sources tell ESPN. Montas, 31, threw 150.2 innings with a 4.84 ERA with Cincinnati and Milwaukee last year. He’s the first piece in the Mets’ new rotation,” Passan wrote on his X account.
Besides the teams already mentioned, Montas’ past also includes the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees. He experienced all kinds of shoulder woes with the latter, but bounced back to full health in 2024 and posted a 4.84 ERA on 150.2 frames.
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Montas now joins Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Tylor Megill, and Paul Blackburn in the Mets rotation, but you can be sure there will be more additions in upcoming days and weeks, especially with names such as Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Jack Flaherty, and Shane Bieber on the market.
Montas gives the Mets experience and some bounceback potential. His best version is capable of maintaining an ERA in the 3.00s with some strikeouts and around 150-160 frames now that his shoulder issues are a thing of the past.
