Some stories crumble slowly. Others fall apart so fast that everyone looks around wondering what really happened. Frankie Montas’ time with the New York Mets landed squarely in the second category, unraveling before it ever had a chance to take shape.
The Mets believed they were buying stability when they signed Montas to a two-year, 34 million dollar deal. Instead, they stumbled into a season filled with medical setbacks, roster headaches, and a pitcher who simply never got off the ground.
From Hope to Immediate Trouble
Spring training barely had time to warm up before Montas’ lat gave out. The injury kept him on the shelf for months, delaying his Mets debut and forcing the team to scramble early. By the time he finally returned, expectations had already softened. What followed erased whatever hope remained.
Montas posted a 6.28 ERA, never finding rhythm or confidence. The Mets kept giving him the ball because they had no real alternative, but the results looked the same every turn: hard contact, short outings, long nights.
Then came the worst news of all, not before he lost his rotation spot to a rookie.
Tommy John Ends Any Chance of a Rebound
Just as the Mets were trying to patch together a disappointing season, Montas was diagnosed with UCL damage. Tommy John surgery in late August wiped out the rest of 2025 and effectively ended any realistic chance he would pitch for the Mets in 2026.
That second year was a player option, worth 17 million dollars. Montas exercised it, as anyone in his situation would. The Mets were locked into a large salary for a pitcher who wouldn’t touch a mound all season.
This is where practicality took over emotion.
Mets Make the Only Logical Move
Multiple reports from Michael Marino and Andy Martino revealed what most around the league had already considered inevitable: the Mets are releasing Montas. It wasn’t about blame or frustration. It was about roster math.
The Mets need space on the 40-man roster, and carrying an injured pitcher who won’t throw a single pitch in 2026 simply didn’t make sense. They’re expected to protect prospect Nick Morabito from the Rule 5 Draft, and that required a clean decision.
Montas now hits free agency, though he won’t be signing with anyone until he’s healthy again. The Mets move forward, lighter on the roster but still stuck with his salary.
What Comes Next for the Mets
The New York Mets thought Montas’ power splitter and upside could stabilize the middle of their rotation for two seasons. Injuries tore that vision apart, leaving the team right back where it started: searching for reliable starting pitching.
This winter becomes even more important. The Mets can’t repeat the mistake of banking on injury-risk arms without building depth behind them. They know their rotation needs fresh talent, not broken promises.
Montas’ tenure won’t be remembered warmly, but maybe it serves as a reminder of just how thin the margin is in modern pitching. The Mets thought they were adding a difference-maker. Instead, they’re left trying to fix a rotation that never got the boost they expected.
The only question now is how aggressively they move to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
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