The New York Mets added their newest free agent addition to their starting rotation on Sunday.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Mets and pitcher agreed to a $34 million, two-year contract. According to reports, a physical is still waiting.
In 2024, the Mets’ starting rotation was ranked mid-tier, posting a collective ERA of 3.91, which placed them 12th in Major League Baseball.
The team’s acquisition of pitcher might serve as a safety net should either Luis Severino or Sean Manaea depart, as both pitchers are exploring free agency this offseason.
Last year, He split his time between the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds. Across 30 starts, he recorded a 4.84 ERA and a WHIP of 1.34.
Montas has had a few exceptional seasons in the past, despite his lackluster current output. During his 16 starts in 2019, he has an ERA of 2.63 while playing for the Oakland A’s. With a 3.37 ERA in 32 starts in 2021, Montas also received a few Cy Young votes.
Like they did with another former Yankee Luis Severino, the Mets could believe they can help Montas return to his previous level of play.
The Mets are still hoping for a larger capture in free agency, even though Montas might end up being a wise decision in the future.
If Juan Soto’s time in the Bronx is truly coming to an end, the three Yankees are primarily to blame.
With every day that goes by, Yankees supporters’ anxiety over Juan Soto’s free agency grows. Retaining the slugger is the organization’s primary objective, as general manager Brian Cashman has made clear. Having saying that, New York will only go so far in retaining Soto in the pinstripes.
To fill the center of manager Aaron Boone’s batting order, a player like Soto is desperately needed given the roster’s present composition. Regretfully, Soto’s future with the team is in doubt due to some of the wages on the roster. If Yankees fans are wondering who is to blame if Soto doesn’t return, they should pay close attention to these three guys.
If the Yankees overlook Juan Soto, there will be a lot of blame to assign. Giancarlo Stanton is number one.
Giancarlo Stanton’s postseason performance pleased the Yankees, but as the years go by, his deal will only worsen. He still has three years remaining on the huge contract he first inked with the Marlins, which guarantees him at least $66 million.
That’s not a good bargain for a 35-year-old who has a long history of injuries. Toward the end of the previous season, Stanton was having trouble running the basepaths. Going forward, it’s hard to imagine him as anything other than a designated hitter. As a result, Soto can no longer take days off from playing while still having his valuable bat in the Yankees’ lineup.
The amount of payroll that New York can take on this offseason is limited by the remaining funds on Stanton’s deal. The Yankees will have to pay a considerable amount in luxury tax to match Soto’s offer if he receives an incredible offer from another team. A major factor in Cashman’s need to use financial discipline in free agency this year is Stanton’s bloated contract.
Yankee is at fault. Jasson Dominguez, number two
Stanton and Jasson Dominguez are on this list for completely different reasons. On Cashman’s balance sheet, he has one of the greatest possible bargain contracts. Because Dominguez provides the Yankees with a convincing outfield substitute for Soto, he may be a factor in his departure.
Although Dominguez and Soto have comparable features, it is quite doubtful that many Yankees supporters would accept him as a like-for-like replacement. Despite being the more athletic outfielder, Dominguez is probably going to end up in a supporting role when he gets older. Despite being the more aggressive of the two hitters, he is significantly less skilled than Soto in that area.
Regardless of what happens with Soto, it would be prudent for the Yankees to find Dominguez a regular home for the upcoming season. In regards to New York’s top prospect, Boone’s decision-making process is made easier if the well-known free agent leaves. Dominguez will be under tremendous pressure to do well next season. If he is expected to take Soto’s position as a superstar, the attention might destroy him.
Third Yankee at fault: Oswald Peraz
Oswald Peraza was regarded as a better prospect prior to Anthony Volpe’s spectacular Spring Training performance, which secured him a ticket to the Bronx two years ago, but Volpe has already taken over the starting shortstop position.
The Yankees at least anticipated that by this point, Peraza and Volpe would both be able to establish themselves as reliable starts in the team’s infield. The second base position in the regular lineup is vacant due to Gleyber Torres’ anticipated free agency departure. Peraza could have easily filled the position if he had lived up to his potential as a prospect.
Instead, in his brief appearances in the major leagues, Peraza has found it difficult to demonstrate that he is capable of being a competent regular. Therefore, if Cashman wants to upgrade Boone’s infield in 2025, he will need to locate a new starting second baseman in free agency. On the open market, a player like that won’t be cheap.
Once more, the Yankees are in a financial bind this offseason, so every dollar matters. They may not spend a lot of money on a new second baseman, but it’s difficult to see the team getting a good starter for less than $10 million a year. It’s simple to imagine a situation in which Soto and Scott Boras decide their fate based on that sum of money.