Struggling Mets send right-hander Frankie Montas to bullpen, weigh calling up a prospect

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets moved struggling right-hander Frankie Montas to the bullpen Tuesday.

The 32-year-old Montas, who signed a two-year, $34 million deal in December, suffered a strained right lat in spring training and has been ineffective since returning to action. He posted a 12.05 ERA in six rehab appearances and was 3-2 with a 6.38 ERA in eight games, including seven starts, for the Mets.

Montas has not pitched more than 5 2/3 innings for the Mets, who haven't gotten more than six innings out of a starter — with the exception of David Peterson — since June 7. In that span, New York is 22-31.

The Mets have lost seven straight games heading into Tuesday's series opener against the Atlanta Braves and trail NL East-leading Philadelphia by six games.

Montas last pitched Saturday against MLB-leading Milwaukee, throwing 72 pitches and allowing three runs, one earned, in three innings. He worked his usual side session Tuesday and was expected to be available in the bullpen starting Thursday.

Montas hasn’t pitched out of the bullpen regularly since his rookie season with the Oakland Athletics in 2017.

“We just need to see consistency — and he’ll be the first one that tells you,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. "It’s been a battle for him, health-wise. And then after he got back, we saw flashes for a couple of outings, but then it’s been a battle. And he understands where we’re at in the season and that’s why we made the decision.”

Mendoza said New York has not made a decision who will take Montas’ spot in the rotation on Saturday against Seattle.

The Mets are currently without a long man in the bullpen with the injured Paul Blackburn scheduled to make another minor league rehab appearance Wednesday. That could lead to New York to promote one of two prospects — Nolan McLean or Brandon Sproat — from Triple-A Syracuse.

McLean last pitched Sunday. The 24-year-old right-hander, selected in the third round of the 2023 draft, is 8-5 with a 2.45 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 113 2/3 innings in 21 games, including 18 starts, this year at Syracuse and Double-A Binghamton.

Sproat, a 24-year-old righty who was a second-round pick in 2023, last pitched Thursday. He is 7-5 with a 4.10 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 101 innings in 22 starts for Syracuse.

McLean has pitched at least six innings 10 times, while Sproat has gone six innings in five appearances.

“They are in the conversation, we just haven’t decided who the guy is,” Mendoza said. “We’ll see where it goes. But whoever comes up here, if it’s one of the prospects, the plan is to give them a good look here.”

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