Atlanta A tumultuous season for Frankie Montashas ends too soon. The right-hander will miss the remainder of the season due to a serious injury to his pitching elbow’s ulnar collateral ligament. He is likely to need Tommy John or an internal brace treatment, which would also keep him out of commission in 2026.
The Mets called up right-hander Huascar Brazobn from Triple-A Syracuse and placed him on the 15-day disabled list.
At Truist Park on Saturday, manager Carlos Mendoza commented, “It’s difficult for him; when he learned yesterday, he was pretty devastated.” He has had a difficult year since he went down during spring training, and with good reason. After spending a lot of time in recovery, he returned without the outcomes that either he or we had hoped for.
In order to add depth to the rotation, Montas signed a two-year contract in December for $34 million guaranteed, with a 2026 player option. However, he was sidelined until late June due to a lat injury that occurred in early spring. Before being sent to the bullpen, he was 3-2 with a 6.68 ERA in seven starts after returning, unable to provide the Mets with the help they needed. He pitched in nine games this season, recording a 5.31 FIP and a 6.28 ERA.
It wasn’t ideal for a career starter to go to a long relief role. Despite his desire to contribute and his realization that he wasn’t benefiting the team as a starter, 32-year-old Montas, who is in his tenth Major League season, still views himself as a starter. This month, he only made two appearances out of the bullpen, which were his first relief appearances since the Yankees in 2023. He hadn’t been out of the bullpen since 2018 before that.
He was eager to get used to the role, though.
“I just like to help at the end of the day,” Montas told the Daily News earlier this week. I’ll gladly go to the bullpen because I’ll have a chance if that’s where they believe I can be of the most use.
His stuff might not have been playing as well as it did in Cincinnati and Milwaukee last year because of the injury. His pitches weren’t as successful, but the velocity remained. He was hit most of the time when he threw something in the zone.
Mendoza suggested that he might have struggled with his secondary pitches as a result of the ailment. He experienced no emotions. The last few of occasions, it was more like soreness.
Following his most recent start on August 3, Montas complained of lower bicep pain. The Mets didn’t use him on Thursday, but he warmed up in the bullpen in Washington. He complained of the same stiffness on Friday in Atlanta, and it persisted even after he played catch. The Mets sent him for imaging at that point.
Because of the injury’s location, there was initially little concern, therefore the findings were a little unexpected. To confirm a diagnosis and decide on the best course of action, Montas will consult with additional people. He has security with the player option, but the Mets only see it as a worsening of the contract.
Like Clay Holmes and Griffin Canning this season, and like Sean Manaea and Luis Severino last season, Montas was a reclamation project. David Stearns, president of baseball operations, has filled out the rotation in this manner for the past two winters. He looks for pitchers who are undervalued on the market and aims to take advantage of those assets.
Montas only made one appearance in 2023 because to shoulder surgery he had previously undergone with the Yankees.
Despite his inflated ERA, Montas was thankful that the Mets trusted him enough to allow him to pitch in any capacity since he felt he still had more to offer this season.
It has great significance. According to Montas, it indicates that they value my abilities. They have faith in the man they signed. I don’t view things like that as failures; rather, I see them as opportunities to improve, work on whatever needs attention, and show the guys present that I’m capable.
I have a lot of fight left in me.
Mendoza said that while there are no intentions to add a sixth starter for the next 16 games, those plans are subject to change. Before the Mets activate right-hander Tyler Megill (elbow sprain), he will make at least one more rehab appearance. The next turn of the rotation puts the current five on normal rest.
Megill pitched 5.0 innings for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday night, walking two and striking out four while allowing five hits and no runs. He threw sixty-five pitches.
Against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday, Jeff McNeil (sore right shoulder) made a comeback to the starting order, playing second base and batting fifth. In an effort to alleviate his shoulder pain, the Mets are still attempting to arrange vacation days for him.
Although outfielder Brandon Nimmo missed his second consecutive game due to neck pain, he is improving and can now run and hit in the cages. Although his damaged hand still hurts, catcher Luis Torrens can come off the bench if necessary.
