Right-hander Frankie Montas and the New York Mets are in agreement on a two-year, $34 million contract, pending physical, sources tell ESPN. Montas, 31, threw 150.2 innings with a 4.84 ERA with Cincinnati and Milwaukee last year. He’s the first piece in the Mets’ new rotation.
Two more starting pitchers are off the market, as Matt Boyd and Frankie Montas sign contracts
Photo credit: © David Dermer - USA Today
Dec 2, 2024, 12:00 ESTUpdated: Dec 2, 2024, 11:30 EST
The starter market has gotten a bit weaker with two signings in recent times.
On Sunday evening, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Frankie Montas signed a two-year, $34 million deal with the New York Mets.
In the wee hours of Monday morning, former Toronto Blue Jay Matt Boyd signed a two-year deal worth $29 million with the Chicago Cubs.
Boyd gets $29M for 2 years. $14.5M a year Plus $1M pbs (500K each year) #Cubs
Matt Boyd to Cubs
Starting with Montas, the 31-year-old pitched for the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024, posting a 4.84 ERA and a 4.71 FIP in 150.2 innings pitched, with a 22.6 K% and a 10.1 BB%. Montas missed most of the 2023 season due to injury and has pitched with the likes of the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, and Oakland Athletics, where he spent the majority of his career.
Matt Boyd was selected in the sixth round of the 2013 draft by the Blue Jays but was traded before the 2015 trade deadline to the Detroit Tigers for David Price. The 33-year-old lefty has spent the majority of his career pitching for the Detroit Tigers, but most recently pitched for the Cleveland Guardians where he had a 2.72 ERA and a 3.29 FIP in 39.2 innings pitched, with a 27.7 K% and a 7.8 BB%.
One thing is clear nearly a month into the off-season; signing a starting pitcher will cost a lot. Another former Blue Jay, Yusei Kikuchi, signed earlier this off-season with the Los Angeles Angels to a three-year, $63 million deal. He was projected to make under $40 million, similar to his deal with the Jays before the 2022 season.
Top-end starter Blake Snell also signed earlier this off-season, agreeing to a five-year, $182 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers that included deferred money, as you can imagine. With that being said, the Blue Jays are still likely interested in adding a starter, as they’ve been linked to Max Fried, Corbin Burnes, and Luis Severino.
As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.
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