Ex-Yankees Disappointing Starter Signs $34 Million Deal with Rival

Starting pitcher Frankie Montas has signed with the Yankees' cross-town rival after a disappointing stint in the Bronx.

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Frankie Montas (47) throws during the first inning of their wild-card playoff game against the New York Mets Wednesday, October 2, 2024 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. / Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This former New York Yankees pitcher is joining their cross town-rivals.

It was announced late Sunday night by ESPN MLB Insider Jeff Passan that the New York Mets were signing starting pitcher Frankie Montas to a two-year, $34 million deal. The righty had pitched for the Yankees in 2022 and 2023, but his tenure in the Bronx was a disappointment.

Montas was traded from the Oakland Athletics to the Yankees at the 2022 trade deadline; in his debut with the Bronx Bombers on August 7, he allowed six earned runs in three innings against the St. Louis Cardinals. This poor outing effectively set the tone of his underwhelming tenure in New York.

Montas ultimately went 1-3 in eight starts for the Yankees in 2022, pitching just 39.2 innings; the righty only struck out 33 batters with an abysmal 6.35 ERA and 1.54 WHIP. In the postseason, Montas was reduced to mop-up duty instead of being used in the starting rotation.

The 2023 season for the right-hander was short-lived, as it was announced that Montas would miss at least the first month of the regular season with right shoulder inflammation. However, it was later revealed that he needed arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder, which forced him to miss the majority of the season.

Montas was activated off the 60-day IL on September 30, the penultimate game of the season, and started against the Kansas City Royals. Although he threw 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing two hits with a strikeout, the Yankees had no desire to bring him back for the 2024 season as he signed with the Cincinnati Reds over the winter.

His rocky tenure for the Yankees was disappointing, to say the least, and the Mets hope that his struggles in the Bronx won't translate when he takes his talents to Flushing, Queens.