The New York Mets have a void in their starting rotation due to injuries before the season even started.
Entering spring training without a clear ace, the Mets suffered setbacks as their top two starters, Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, were sidelined. With both unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, MLB analyst Jackson Roberts of SportingNews suggested that the Mets could target Arizona Diamondbacks starter Jordan Montgomery in a trade.
“The Diamondbacks have been looking to move Montgomery all winter after his rough 2024 season, where he posted a 6.23 ERA,” Roberts wrote. “His $22.5 million salary is steep, but so is his determination to bounce back to his strong 2023 form.
Montgomery showed during the Texas Rangers’ World Series run that he can thrive on the big stage, and that’s exactly the kind of environment the Mets will be in all year. A mid-rotation role in Queens could be the perfect opportunity for him to regain his success.”
With Montgomery in the final year of his contract, acquiring him would be a relatively low-risk move for the Mets. If he underperforms, they can part ways easily. Arizona is also open to dealing him, meaning the asking price likely wouldn’t be high.
Despite struggling in 2024—going 8-7 with a 6.23 ERA in 25 appearances (21 starts)—Montgomery could offer New York much-needed depth in its rotation.
Mets Manager Hates to See Injuries to Rotation
The New York Mets enter the season as a top contender for the World Series, especially after landing Juan Soto in free agency.
However, spring training brought early challenges, as both Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea suffered injuries—an unfortunate setback for the team.
“You hate to see it, especially before we get to March, two of your guys are going down,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “But we have been talking about our depth, and here we are getting tested.”
Montas is dealing with a lat strain that will keep him from throwing until at least the end of spring training, while Manaea has been shut down for a couple of weeks due to an oblique strain, likely delaying his return until mid-to-late April.
As a result, the Mets currently have Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill, and Paul Blackburn competing for the five available rotation spots.
Diamondbacks Owner Calls Montgomery a Horrible Signing
Arizona signed Jordan Montgomery last season in hopes of strengthening its rotation, but the move did not go as planned. The left-hander struggled significantly, and Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick openly criticized the decision.
“If anyone wants to blame someone for Jordan Montgomery being a Diamondback, you’re talking to the guy who should be blamed,” Kendrick told Arizona Sports. “I brought it to [the front office’s] attention. I pushed for it. They agreed—it wasn’t in our game plan. You know when he was signed—right at the end of spring training. And looking back, in hindsight, it was a horrible decision to invest that money in a guy who performed as poorly as he did. It’s our biggest mistake this season from a talent standpoint. And I’m the perpetrator of that.”
Despite his struggles in Arizona, Montgomery played a key role in helping the Texas Rangers win the World Series in 2023.
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