The Mets have signed free agent right-hander Frankie Montas to a two-year, $34MM deal, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan (X link). Jon Heyman of the New York Post adds (via X) that Montas can opt out of the contract after the 2025 season, and the righty will earn an even $17MM in each of the two seasons. Montas is represented by the Boras Corporation.
Montas (who turns 32 in March) returns to the Big Apple after an injury-plagued stint with the Yankees during the 2022-23 seasons. The Yankees acquired Montas from the A’s at the 2022 trade deadline when Montas was still trying to work through some shoulder discomfort, and his ill-fated attempt to pitch through the pain led to a 6.35 ERA over 39 2/3 innings during the remainder of the 2022 campaign. Montas then required labrum surgery the following February that cost him almost all of the 2023 season, as he returned to pitch 1 1/3 innings in one game at the very end of September.
The Reds bet that Montas would be able to bounce back when healthy, and signed the righty to a one-year deal that ended up being worth $16MM — $14MM in guaranteed salary, and then a $2MM buyout once Montas declined his end of a mutual option for the 2025 season. Perhaps showing the after-effects of his long layoff, Montas had a 4.84 ERA over 150 2/3 combined innings with Cincinnati and Milwaukee last season, as the Reds sent Montas to the Brewers last July in another deadline trade.
More to come…
