{"id":50822,"date":"2025-05-24T09:35:17","date_gmt":"2025-05-24T09:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/50822\/"},"modified":"2025-05-24T09:35:17","modified_gmt":"2025-05-24T09:35:17","slug":"mets-starter-finally-set-to-begin-minor-league-rehab-assignment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/50822\/","title":{"rendered":"Mets starter finally set to begin minor league rehab assignment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Baseball is never just a game. Not when a career hangs in the balance and fans hold their breath with every update.<\/p>\n

When Frankie Montas signed his two-year, $34 million deal with the New York Mets<\/a>, there was a hopeful buzz around Queens.<\/p>\n

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The kind of optimism only a fresh start can bring. But just days into spring training, that buzz dissolved into a wince of disappointment\u2014Montas had a strained right lat, a high-grade one.<\/p>\n

For a pitcher, that\u2019s like a violinist pulling a tendon in their bow arm. You can still be a violinist, but performing? That\u2019s another story.<\/p>\n

\"Syndication:<\/p>\n

Credit: Mark Hoffman\/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Early setback dims Mets\u2019 pitching plans<\/p>\n

Montas\u2019 injury was quietly brewing before the February 17 announcement, and once made public, the Mets moved quickly to shut him down for 6\u20138 weeks.<\/p>\n

Just like that, what was meant to be a strong addition to the rotation became an early test of the team\u2019s depth.<\/p>\n

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At a time when fans were still dreaming of aces and autumn, the injury cast a shadow over their hopes. But Montas never stopped believing.<\/p>\n

This wasn\u2019t his end\u2014just a detour.<\/p>\n

Now, a major step forward in the recovery journey<\/p>\n

Hope is a powerful thing. It fuels comebacks, powers through rehab, and keeps a competitive heart beating. That hope just got a shot of adrenaline: Montas is officially set to begin a minor league rehab assignment with High-A Brooklyn.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrankie Montas (strained right lat) will begin a minor league rehab assignment tomorrow\u2026 he should be activated for his Mets debut within the next 30 days,\u201d tweeted Mets insider Anthony DiComo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Less than a month. That\u2019s all it might take before the 32-year-old right-hander returns to a mound in Queens. No guarantees, of course\u2014injuries are fickle things\u2014but it\u2019s a clear step in the right direction.<\/p>\n

The pitching staff has thrived without him\u2014but depth matters<\/p>\n

The Mets\u2019 rotation is currently humming. Tylor Megill, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Griffin Canning, and Kodai Senga are each holding their own, if not outright excelling.<\/p>\n

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But baseball is a marathon of uncertainty. One turned ankle or overused arm can tilt a season. Depth isn\u2019t just a luxury\u2014it\u2019s survival.<\/p>\n

Montas, if healthy, isn\u2019t just a depth piece. He\u2019s a potential game-changer.<\/p>\n

Though his 4.84 ERA across 150.2 innings last season with the Reds and Brewers doesn\u2019t scream \u201cace,\u201d numbers can lie. Scouts and fans alike know that his raw stuff\u2014the velocity, the movement, the ability to make big-league hitters look foolish\u2014is still there.<\/p>\n

\"Oct<\/p>\n

Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

A six-man rotation could be the secret weapon<\/p>\n

With Paul Blackburn expected to return soon and Montas eyeing a June debut, the Mets might eventually consider a six-man rotation. It\u2019s an interesting strategy, especially with teams trying to keep arms fresh deep into the year.<\/p>\n

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This approach could ease the workload, maintain performance across the board, and give Montas a controlled environment to build back to full strength.<\/p>\n

And let\u2019s face it: the idea of a healthy, rested Montas joining a surging staff down the stretch is the kind of scenario playoff dreams are made of.<\/p>\n

A month from now, we could be talking about Frankie Montas\u2019 comeback start in a Mets uniform. For now, it\u2019s rehab assignments and cautious optimism. But in a season full of what-ifs, this one feels like it could matter most.<\/p>\n

Popular reading<\/p>\n

Mets release 2024 bullpen contributor, per report<\/a><\/p>\n

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