New York Mets Make Decision on Phil Maton’s Club Option

The New York Mets will let right-handed reliever Phil Maton hit the open market instead of exercising his club option for 2025.

Oct 5, 2024; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Mets pitcher Phil Maton (88) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies in game one of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Hours before Monday’s 5 p.m. ET deadline to accept or decline club options, the New York Mets made a decision on one of their relievers.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Mets declined right-hander Phil Maton’s $7.75 million option for the 2025 season, making him a free agent. Instead, the team will pay a $250,000 buyout fee.

Mets decline Phil Maton $7.75M option, pay 250K buyout

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 4, 2024

Maton, 31, was acquired by the Mets in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays on July 9. In his 31 appearances with the team, he posted a 2.51 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and a 9.4 K/9 rate—a marked improvement over the 4.58 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and 7.6 K/9 rate he recorded in his previous 40 outings.

During the postseason, Maton struggled, allowing six runs in 6.1 innings, with four home runs, four walks, and 11 hits. He suffered a blown save in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card against the Milwaukee Brewers, putting the team on the brink of elimination before they ultimately rallied to advance to the NL Division Series and later the NL Championship Series.

The 6-foot-2 righty relied on a diverse five-pitch repertoire, prioritizing movement over velocity. His most effective pitch was his 88 mph cutter, which generated a +5 run value and limited opponents to a .217 slugging percentage. Maton’s curveball recorded his highest whiff rate (32.9%), strikeout rate (39.8%), and putaway rate (20.8%), according to Statcast.

As several free agent relievers prepare to hit the open market, including Adam Ottavino, Brooks Raley, Drew Smith, Ryne Stanek, and Shintaro Fujinami—who did not see any major league action after signing a one-year, $3.35 million deal in February—the Mets' bullpen could undergo significant changes in 2025.