New York Mets fans are outraged after pitcher Frankie Montas exercised his $17 million player option for the 2026 season-a season he is expected to miss entirely while recovering from elbow surgery. The move, announced on Tuesday, has fans on social media decrying the deal as the “greatest heist” in team history.
“Frankie Montas elects to be paid more than most people will make in a lifetime to not work. Must be nice!” one supporter stated, capturing the core of the fanbase’s frustration.
The Mets signed Montas to a two-year, $34 million contract in 2024, hoping he would be an elite starter after a solid 2023 campaign. That hope quickly evaporated. Montas was inconsistent and injured from the start, delaying his 2025 season debut until June due to a lat strain.
Fans are tearing Montas apart
He was dreadful when he finally did pitch, posting a 6.68 ERA in seven starts before the team demoted him to the bullpen. After just two more appearances, he was shut down in August with a UCL injury in his right elbow, ending his Mets tenure with a total of nine appearances.
His final line: a 6.28 ERA, 11.2 hits allowed per nine innings, and 8 home runs surrendered in just 38 innings.
The fan backlash has been swift and brutal, with many comparing this deal to one of the most infamous contracts in franchise history. “$34 million for 9 appearances in two years. This is worse than the Jason Bay contract,” another fan wrote.
The glass half full in the Montas deal
The Jason Bay deal, a four-year, $66 million debacle from 2010, has long been the benchmark for bad Mets acquisitions, but fans are now arguing Montas has surpassed it. “Is he the worst ever acquisition for the Mets?” one fan asked.
While some more pragmatic fans pointed out that insurance will likely cover a large portion-around $13.6 million-of the pitcher’s 2026 salary, the emotional damage is done. The move for a player who failed so spectacularly to then take a massive payday while injured is seen by many as a robbery in broad daylight.
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