SIGNING: NY Mets Add Free Agent Starting Pitcher

The New York Mets are going into the 2025 season will an significantly altered starting rotation, and they added one of this pieces late Sunday night with the free agent signing of 31-year-old veteran Frankie Montas.

Right-hander Frankie Montas and the New York Mets are in agreement on a two-year, $34 million contract, pending physical, sources tell ESPN. Montas, 31, threw 150.2 innings with a 4.84 ERA with Cincinnati and Milwaukee last year. He’s the first piece in the Mets’ new rotation.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 2, 2024

its a two-year deal worth $34 million for the nine-year veteran right-hander. He finished this past season with a 4.84 ERA and 1.36 WHIP, split between the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers. He did show marked improvement after he got to Milwaukee, however, as his strikeouts were boosted from 7.5 per nine innings to 11 K/9 in 57 innings.

Montas missed the entire 2023 season due to shoulder surgery, but the fact that he came back in ‘24 with 30 starts and 150 innings gave teams like the Mets confidence that he was fully recovered.

He was a top starter for several years for the Oakland A’s earlier in his career, and finished 6th in Cy Young balloting in 2021.

The Mets, of course, are far from done in their free agent dealings this offfseason, as they are perceived as the frontrunner to sign superstar Juan Soto. They will also add more pitching.