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A person familiar with the negotiations
confirmed the deal to the AP on Sunday night on condition of
anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful
physical.
The 31-year-old Montas is slated to make $17 million in each
year of the contract. He can opt out after the 2025 season.
Montas went 7-11 with a 4.84 ERA and 148 strikeouts over 150 2/3
innings in 30 starts for the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee
Brewers this year. He was 3-3 with a 4.55 ERA in 11 starts for
the Brewers, who acquired him just before the trade deadline.
Montas declined his part of a $20 million mutual option last
month, receiving a $2 million buyout.
Even with the addition of Montas, New York has more work to do
with its rotation. Sean Manaea, Luis Severino and Jose Quintana
became free agents after helping the Mets make a surprising run
to the NL Championship Series this year.
New York also is looking for a couple of bullpen arms in front
of closer Edwin Díaz, and longtime first baseman Pete Alonso
became a free agent after slugging 34 homers this year.
Montas is 44-46 with a 4.09 ERA in 129 starts and 31 relief
appearances in nine seasons, also playing for the Chicago White
Sox, Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees.
He had his best season with the A's in 2021, going 13-9 with a
3.37 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 187 innings.
Montas' agreement with the Mets is part of a brisk start to the
offseason for agent Scott Boras. Blake Snell ($182 million,
five-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers) and Yusei
Kikuchi ($63 million, three-year contract with the Angels) have
agreed to new deals, and Nick Martinez, another Boras client,
accepted a qualifying offer from Cincinnati.
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