There's a lot the Mets could do with $17 million, including pulling off this move.
Giving Frankie Montas a player option for 2026 never felt right. Something about a mediocre pitcher having all of the control in year two of his deal looked wrong. Player options, in general, don’t favor the ball club. The New York Mets gave one to Sean Manaea when he signed prior to 2024 and because he was so good for them, he had a way out of it to later secure a three-year guarantee for even more cash.