The New York Mets have a bit of a roster puzzle on their hands. With an overstocked outfield and a pressing need for more starting pitchers, they’re left trying to make the pieces fit. It’s a classic case of having too much of one thing and not enough of another—like a fridge full of condiments but nothing to put them on.
Starling Marte’s contract is a major factor in this conundrum. At $19 million for 2025, the veteran outfielder isn’t exactly easy to move, but with a crowded outfield, the Mets would love to find a way to offload him. The problem? Finding a team willing to take on that salary.
Meanwhile, their starting rotation is looking shaky. The injuries to Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea have left them scrambling, forcing them to abandon their original plan of a six-man rotation. Now, they’re barely cobbling together five solid arms.
The Jordan Montgomery Trade Idea
With all this in mind, former Mets general manager and current analyst Jim Duquette has thrown out an intriguing trade idea: swapping Marte for Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jordan Montgomery. On the surface, it’s a “your problem for ours” type of deal—both players are expensive, both underperformed last season, and both teams could benefit from a shake-up.
Can the Mets bolster their starting rotation in the trade market? Could Jordan Montgomery be an option?@JimDuquetteGM, @AlbaneseLaura, @BerbarionAir and @nikilattarulo discuss the Mets’ options on BNNY: https://t.co/c3OSpxSdD8
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— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) February 26, 2025
Montgomery, a former Yankees standout, had a nightmare of a 2024 season, posting a 6.23 ERA and a brutal -1.4 bWAR. That’s the kind of stat line that makes teams hesitate, but there’s still belief that he can bounce back. After all, he’s just 32 and has proven he can handle New York’s unique pressure cooker of a baseball environment.
While he wasn’t good in 2024, it’s important to note that he didn’t have a normal spring training due to signing late and that he was magnificent during the Texas Rangers’ 2023 World Series run.
Does This Deal Make Sense?
The trade isn’t a perfect one-for-one swap. Montgomery is set to earn $22.5 million in 2025, slightly more than Marte’s $19 million, and at 32, he’s four years younger. The Mets, in theory, would be getting a potential rotation stabilizer—one with a chip on his shoulder—while the Diamondbacks would be banking on Marte regaining his form.
The big question is whether Arizona even wants Marte. At 36, he’s not the player he once was, and the D-Backs might not see him as a fit. But if they’re desperate enough to unload Montgomery’s contract, maybe there’s a deal to be made.
For the Mets, it’s about addressing a glaring need. Their pitching depth is paper-thin, and while Montgomery isn’t a perfect solution, he’s a familiar name with a track record of success in New York. If the trade lines up financially and both teams are willing to gamble on a change-of-scenery boost, there might be something here.