Disappointing Yankees trade acquisition won't find redemption with the NY Mets

The New York Mets have signed former Yankees pitchers Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas to bolster their rotation behind Kodai Senga. While Holmes’ role remains uncertain, Montas' potential to rebound in New York is doubtful, especially given his struggles with the Yankees from 2022 to 2023.

Frankie Montas In Pinstripes

In 2022, the Yankees needed rotation help behind ace Gerrit Cole. Luis Severino was sidelined with a lat strain, Domingo German was returning from injury, and Jordan Montgomery's future was uncertain as he neared free agency. Jameson Taillon was solid but lacked swing-and-miss stuff, and although Nestor Cortes had a breakout year, the Yankees needed a reliable second starter.

To address this, they traded top pitching prospects Ken Waldichuk, JP Sears, and Luis Medina to the Oakland Athletics for Montas and reliever Lou Trivino. Montas joined New York with a 4-9 record but an impressive 3.18 ERA and 116 ERA+. He also posted a solid 3.35 FIP and 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings. However, the transition from Oakland to New York posed challenges. Montas went from a rebuilding team to a World Series contender and moved from pitcher-friendly Oakland Coliseum to Yankee Stadium, which favors left-handed power hitters.

The Yankees acquired Montas while being on top of the American League East with 70 wins, leading Major League Baseball. The team had World Series aspirations, but the Athletics had aspirations to tank and massively cut payroll. He would also pitch in a hitter-friendly ballpark, with the short porch in right field favoring left-handed power hitters. Oakland Coliseum had bigger dimensions in the outfield and on the foul territory sides of right and left field which allowed more outs to be recorded when those balls would normally be in the stands.

Montas struggled early, giving up six earned runs in his debut against the Cardinals. He showed slight improvement against the Red Sox but gave up six runs to the Blue Jays in his next start. His inconsistency continued, highlighted by blowing a five-run lead against the Brewers in his final 2022 outing. Unlike in Oakland, Montas rarely pitched beyond the sixth inning and struggled with his sinker, allowing opponents to hit .308 and slug .492 against it. His strikeout rate declined, and his ERA+ fell well below the league average.

The Yankees lost confidence in Montas, excluding him from the playoff rotation. He made one postseason appearance, allowing a home run to Jeremy Peña in an ALCS Game 1 loss. Shoulder surgery sidelined him for most of 2023, preventing him from making another start for the Yankees.

Why Montas Will Not Succeed In Queens

The Mets are riding into 2025, hoping to repeat the success of yesteryear. Although they might not be division winners, the orange and blue are coming off of a deep playoff run from the previous season and made the headlines by signing superstar outfielder Juan Soto and re-signing first baseman Pete Alonso.

After leaving New York, Montas’ struggles continued in 2024 with the Reds and Brewers. His fastball velocity dropped, his ERA and FIP neared five, and his ERA+ remained below 100. Although his strikeout rate was steady, he failed to generate enough swings and misses while issuing too many walks.

Despite the Mets' hopes of contending after a deep playoff run and the high-profile signing of Juan Soto, Montas' outlook remains bleak. His declining velocity, lack of an effective out pitch, and ongoing control issues are significant red flags. Moreover, he faces the same high-pressure New York market where he previously faltered.

The Mets’ rotation has promise with Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea, but question marks abound. Without acquiring another top-tier starting pitcher, they may be relying too heavily on Montas, whose recent history suggests more struggles ahead. Mets fans should temper expectations, as Montas may disappoint in the Big Apple once again.