Mets ‘Monitoring’ World Series Champion, Urged to Offer $115 Million Deal
The New York Mets seem caught between an interest in adding players who can win in the near future and holding off on expensive acquisitions until their payroll clears up.
The more than $45 million the team will be paying this season for Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, two players who aren’t on their roster, would suggest that shelling out for another top free-agent arm before the season gets underway would be a mistake. But Joel Sherman of the New York Post thinks otherwise, urging the Mets to offer top dollar for reigning World Series champion Jordan Montgomery.
“I would argue that signing Montgomery can enhance (the Mets’) plan,” Sherman wrote. “I do think the Mets should stretch to, say, five years at $115 million with an opt-out after three years and see if any club beats that.”
Sherman added that the team’s plan as he sees it is to “win now but not at the expense of clogging future payroll or rosters” and that the team is “definitely monitoring” Montgomery’s asking price.
How Would Jordan Montgomery Fit into New York Mets’ Plans?
After a massive spending spree that saw the team take on one of the highest payrolls in baseball, the Mets disappointed with a 75-87 record in 2023.
Star reliever Edwin Díaz missed the season after suffering an injury while celebrating at the World Baseball Classic, Scherzer and Verlander struggled on the field before being traded midseason and their aging bats saw declines at the plate.
The team brought in a new president of baseball operations, David Stearns, shortly after the season ended to right the ship. And now the team seems to be straddling its payroll limitations with a continued commitment to compete for a World Series in the near future.
As a durable, 31-year-old starter who pitched for a 2.90 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 31 postseason innings with the Texas Rangers last year, Montgomery might fit into that plan. On a multi-year deal, he would likely join Kodai Senga at the top of the rotation for the next few seasons and could lead a legitimate playoff pitching staff.
