5 Mets starting pitcher trade candidates to revisit at the 2022 trade deadline

Frankie Montas is the other remaining A’s pitcher for the Mets to revisit

Also somehow not traded by Oakland, Frankie Montas has the potential to hang around into the 2023 season. The tanking A’s aren’t required to trade him by the midseason deadline so the asking price may end up being a little too rich for some team’s prospect blood.

As the case is with any controllable pitcher, the Mets could always view Montas as a replacement for Bassitt if he walks after the season ends. The old switcheroo, acquire Marcus Stroman at the trade deadline when you’re going nowhere in order to replace Zack Wheeler who is a free agent after the season ends strategy.

Montas’ biggest issue in his big league career has been health. Coming into 2022, he has only a single season with over 100 innings pitched. This happened last year when he was awarded a sixth-place finish in the American League Cy Young race. About to enter his age 29 season, it’s time for Montas to showcase to the league what he’s capable of for more than a single season.

The main reasoning for acquiring Montas over someone like Manaea would be that extra year of control through 2023. The Mets will have a couple of rotation questions to answer in the following offseason. Adding Montas at the deadline to fill in for an underperformer or someone with an injury could help get thing started.