The surprising New York Mets managed to win 89 games and grab a Wild Card spot last year, and then came within two wins of shocking the baseball world and returning to the World Series for what would have been the first time since 2015 and only the sixth time since joining the National League as an expansion team in 1962.
The Amazin’s could only amaze so much, however. After falling behind 3-1 in the NL Championship Series to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets fought back to pull within 3-2 only to fall in the sixth game to the powerful Dodgers offense, 10-5.
Heading into 2025, the Mets struck early on their way to do last season one better, signing Milwaukee Brewers righty Frankie Montas to a two-year, $34 million contract more than a week before they made the loudest splash of the offseason by inking generational slugger Juan Soto to a 13-year, $765 million deal.
Mets Fortunes Darkened as Spring Rolled Around
The Mets December shopping spree was not done yet, however. Shortly after Christmas they re-signed starter Sean Manaea to a three-year deal with $75 million. The 32-year-old was the driving force in the Mets’ late-season playoff push, posting a 3.40 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with 127 strikeouts in 124 1/3 innings from July 1 to the conclusion of the Mets’ postseason run.
But the Mets’ fortunes began to darken as soon as spring training got underway. On February 17, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza revealed that Montas was suffering from a “high grade lat strain” and would be shut down from throwing for six to eight weeks.
Mendoza said that even once Montas got back on a mound, he would require the equivalent of an entire Spring Training to be ready for big league competition. That means the Mets can’t expect to see their big offseason pitching acquisition in action probably until June at the earliest.
As if the injury to Montas wasn’t misfortune enough, Manaea then suffered a right oblique muscle strain that is expected to keep him out of action until late April at least.
Mendoza said last week that he was “close” to naming the Mets starting rotation, but will the team make a move to fill the void left the injuries â particularly the injury to Montas that could effectively erase half of the starter’s season or more?
Trade Would Bring in World Series Champ
A trade pitch offered by Newsweek sportswriter Zach Presnell on Monday could provide a solution to carry the Mets rotation through until Montas can finally return. The trade target would be a former New York Yankees draft pick who picked up a World Series ring as a member of the Texas Rangers rotation in 2023 â 32-year-old Jordan Montgomery.
The catch is that Montgomery, who was paid $25 million by the Diamondbacks last season for a 6.23 ERA in just 117 innings, exercised his player option and as a result, is now owed $22.5 million for 2025. The Diamondbacks have been open about their desire to shed that salary, though it seems highly unlikely that the Mets would assume all $22.5 million of that sum.
According to a report by Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, the Diamondbacks will be looking for a trade partner willing to absorb about $13 million of Montgomery’s contract.
The upside for the Mets is that, if they were willing to assume that financial hit, they could likely acquire Montgomery without surrendering any significant prospects in return. Then they would hope that Montgomery regains the form he displayed in his brief stint with Texas, when he pitched 67 2/3 innings with a 2.79 ERA and 1.094 WHIP with 58 strikeouts against just 13 walks.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Trade Pitch Sees Mets Add $25 Million Starter as Frankie Montas Replacement appeared first on Heavy Sports.