Marlins rivals strike first on the free agent market

Miami Marlins rivals have been all over the news, while reports on The Fish are largely just expectations and suggestions as to what will likely be done. The New York Mets entered the off-season with three vacancies in the rotation. Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana and Luis Severino are all free agents. The Mets needed to fill those holes and they finally filled one Sunday night.

Miami Marlins rivals the New York Mets signed a starting pitcher.

The Miami Marlins haven't signed any free agents, but the New York Mets just did. They signed Frankie Montas for the rotation for 2 years/$34 million. Right off the bat, I'll say that as a Miami Marlins fan I like this move. I like this move because it looks pretty bad to me. Montas was pretty poor in the 2024 season, which he split between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers.

He pitched to a 4.84 ERA/4.71 FIP, with 8.8 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 30 games and 150.2 innings pitched. In fact, the only other time that he pitched over 150 innings was in 2021, when he pitched in 187.0 innings. He's injury-prone and has never really proven himself to be a top of the rotation arm. He was good in that 2021 season to be fair. He pitched to a 3.37 ERA/3.37 FIP, with 10.0 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9.

Will Montas ever get back to that 2021 form? I really don't know. He surely wasn't nearly as good in 2024. That doesn't make me see his contract as anything worthwhile. $17 million a season for Frankie Montas? I can't imagine why they would pay him that. Couldn't they have signed someone healthier for less? Spend the big money on a badly needed top of the rotation arm, but don't spend almost $20 million a year on an injury-prone starting pitcher. I mean in his 9 years in the Major Leagues, he had only three seasons with 100+ innings. Only two with 150.0+ innings pitched.

As a Miami Marlins fan, I like the move. Objectively, I see this as a mistake.