Athletics News

Home

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Mets projected to be on the hook for paying two injured pitchers

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Sep 4, 2025 6:00 PM ET

The New York Mets knew the risks they were taking last offseason when they included options in the contracts of several players whom they signed.

One of them, first baseman Pete Alonso, has put together an incredibly productive year. The first year of his two-year deal paid him $30 million. In 2026, he is set to earn $24 million, but he will almost assuredly decline that option to hit free agency again. It was a risk the Mets were willing to take to get him under contract for at least one more season in 2025.

A guaranteed, multi-year pact will likely be needed to bring back Alonso for a second consecutive offseason. It will be interesting to see how high New York is willing to go to bring back the franchise leader in home runs. At least the Mets are getting an incredibly productive campaign from him should this be his last year in Flushing.

The same cannot be said about two of the other players whom the team brought on in free agency this past winter. Starting pitcher Frankie Montas and relief pitcher A.J. Minter both signed two-year deals that included an option for Year 2. Both have been predicted by MLB insider Jeff Passan to accept those options in what are no-brainer decisions given the health status of each player.

Frankie Montas has been a massive bust for Mets

There was hope that Montas would be the next successful reclamation project for New York. After getting productive campaigns from Luis Severino, Sean Manaea and Jose Quintana, no one was betting against the strategy. Alas, for as good as they performed, Montas was on the opposite end of the spectrum.

He made only seven starts for the Mets before being demoted to the bullpen. Overall, he made nine appearances with an ugly 6.28 ERA and -0.7 bWAR. As if the production wasn’t poor enough of a return on investment, things actually got worse.

Montas suffered a torn UCL that will sideline him for the remainder of the 2025 campaign. Because of when the injury occurred, there is a chance he is sidelined for the duration of the 2026 season as well. That is a worst-case scenario for New York, who will be paying him $17 million to rehab next year.

A.J. Minter could provide Mets with help at some point in 2026

Also sidelined for the 2025 season is Minter. The veteran left-handed reliever suffered a lat injury after making only 13 appearances. He was dominant in his 11 innings of work with a 1.64 ERA, striking out 14.

Alas, there is no way a team would pay him more than the $11 million he is owed on the option for 2026 if he were to hit free agency. He would almost assuredly have to settle for a one-year deal as well. Relievers entering their age-32 campaign coming off a season-ending injury aren’t going to receive multi-year offers from franchises.

Like Montas, it should come as little surprise that Minter has been predicted to exercise his option and remain with the Mets. At least he could be available to pitch in 2026 and help a scuffling bullpen.

He underwent surgery in May and the projected timetable for a return is 10-12 months. There is a chance he is ready to start ramping up in spring training, but even if his return is on the back end of that timetable, he should be in a position to return before the summer.