Frankie Montas’ time with the Mets was nearing a close, but the club made it official on Tuesday. New York designated the veteran right-hander for assignment, opening a 40-man roster slot ahead of the Rule 5 Draft. The newly vacated spot was immediately filled by outfield prospect Nick Morabito, and the team has already requested waivers to release Montas outright.
Montas, who signed a two-year, $34 million deal last offseason, was already ruled out for the entire 2026 campaign after undergoing elbow surgery in August. His first season in Queens was a difficult one: he posted a 6.28 ERA, lost his place in the rotation, and ultimately finished the year in the bullpen. The 32-year-old had picked up his $17 million player option with the intention of rehabbing within the organization, but president of baseball operations David Stearns opted to cut ties.
Stearns had hoped Montas could follow the path of pitchers like Luis Severino and Sean Manaea, whose careers rebounded in 2024. Montas, along with Griffin Canning and Clay Holmes, was brought in to strengthen the staff, but an early spring injury delayed his debut until late June. By then, the rotation’s issues were already mounting.
Inconsistent outings plagued the group for most of the final four months, contributing to the Mets’ unexpected slide out of playoff contention. With veterans faltering, New York leaned heavily on young arms such as Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Brandon Sproat, but the late-season push fell short. As a result, the Mets are expected to be aggressive in pursuit of starting pitching this winter.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].