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3 free agents who always made more sense for the NY Mets than signing Frankie Montas

The Montas deal is looking like a mistake. Here's what they could've done instead.
ByJosh Mayer|
Jul 22, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) takes the ball from starting pitcher Frankie Montas (47) during a pitching change during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Jul 22, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) takes the ball from starting pitcher Frankie Montas (47) during a pitching change during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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2) Matthew Boyd

This one is hard to judge the Mets for passing up on. Going into the season, Boyd had a career ERA of 4.85 across nine seasons and hadn't appeared in more than 15 games since 2019. He wasn't even on the Mets' radar during the offseason; it's hard to fault them for not prioritizing a pitcher with that kind of track record.

Boyd has exploded this season, breaking out in his age-34 season with the Chicago Cubs. Making his first All-Star appearance this year, he is 11-4 with a 2.34 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. His run value this season is 18 (97th percentile) per Baseball Savant. He struggles with his velocity (31st percentile), but his four-seam fastball is effective due to its release point and vertical movement. It's important to mention that he thrives in command, too, with a walk rate of just 5.6% (88th percentile).

While it's hard to criticize the Mets for this move, you can't help but cringe at the two-year, $29 million deal Boyd got with the Cubs in comparison to the $17 million the Mets gave Montas for just one year. The Cubs ended up with a more effective pitcher for less, but any team would've done that deal had they known how successful Boyd would be this year.

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