The Mets are once again rolling the dice on short-term pitching deals and depth to carry them through the season. After signing Frankie Montas to a two-year, $34 million contract with a player option for 2026, the veteran right-hander is already facing a significant setback, dealing with a high-grade lat strain that could sideline him for months.
Despite the injury, the Mets are standing pat.
“After losing Frankie Montas for possibly the first quarter of the season because of a high-grade lat strain, league sources said the New York Mets intend to rely on their depth instead of acquiring another starter,” The Athletic reported.
Seven Arms for Six Spots, But No True Ace
Even without Montas, the Mets have plenty of names for their rotation. Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea, David Peterson, Clay Holmes, Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill, and Paul Blackburn give them seven options for six available spots. The issue? They lack a true ace.
Senga has dealt with persistent injuries, while Manaea profiles more as a No. 2 than a legitimate frontline starter. The rest of the rotation is filled with question marks—talented arms, but inconsistent ones.
Holmes was sharp in his first spring outing, tossing three scoreless innings and unveiling a new “kick change” pitch. Manaea showed promise in the second half of 2024, and Megill posted a decent 4.04 ERA over 78 innings. But relying on a patchwork rotation to hold up over a full season is a gamble, even with an offense strong enough to carry some of the weight.
No Urgency to Add More Starters
Despite the uncertainty, the Mets are not actively pursuing more starting pitching. The Padres have made Michael King and Dylan Cease available, but the asking price appears too steep for New York’s liking.
That leaves them in a wait-and-see approach. If injuries or underperformance create a more urgent need, the trade deadline could present opportunities. For now, general manager David Stearns seems content to see if this collection of arms can hold up.
- Mets ‘unlikely’ to sign ex-starting pitcher to new contract
- Mets: Good news and great news from 6-2 spring training win over Astros
- Mets playing dangerous game ignoring pitching needs
No Reunion With Jose Quintana
One potential fallback option, Jose Quintana, remains unsigned and has expressed interest in returning to the Mets. However, Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that a reunion is “unlikely,” as the Mets already have enough depth pieces and don’t view Quintana as a major upgrade.
That signals confidence—or perhaps stubbornness—that the rotation, as currently constructed, is good enough. Whether that holds true will depend on how well they can maximize the pieces they already have.