The New York Mets reportedly added a key piece to their rotation on Sunday night.
The Mets agreed to a two-year, $34 million deal with right-hander Frankie Montas on Sunday, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Montas reportedly has a player option in the deal after the 2025 season.
Right-hander Frankie Montas and the New York Mets are in agreement on a two-year, $34 million contract, pending physical examination, sources tell ESPN. Montas, 31, pitched 150.2 innings with a 4.84 ERA with Cincinnati and Milwaukee last year. He is the first piece of the Mets’ new rotation.
– Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 2, 2024
Montas started last season with the Cincinnati Reds, who signed him after a shoulder injury limited him to just one game in 2023 while with the New York Yankees. The Milwaukee Brewers then traded for Montas before the trade deadline in July. It was the fifth time he was traded since Montas was drafted in 2013.
Overall, Montas held a 4.84 ERA with 148 strikeouts in nearly 151 innings pitched last season. He went 7-11 in 30 starts, and went 3-3 with the Brewers to close out the year. The team made the playoffs for a second straight year, although they were eliminated in the wild-card round.
Montas, 31, will join Kodai Senga and David Peterson in the Mets rotation after several other starters from last season joined free agency, including Sean Manaea, Luis Severino and Jose Quintana, who helped lead the team on a surprising trip to the National League. Championship Series. This is the Mets’ deepest playoff run in nearly a decade.
The Mets are sure to make several other moves this offseason when it comes to their bullpen, including potentially signing new deals with one of their three starters who are now on the open market. The team is reportedly in the running to sign star outfielder Juan Soto. Thanks to free agency, the Mets have already reduced their payroll by $150 million from last season, the highest in the league.
While Montas may not be a consistent frontcourt starter in New York, which he has demonstrated throughout his career, he should provide solid depth to the Mets’ rotation next summer.
