Lefty Mike Montgomery, righty Tommy Hunter signed by Mets to address pitching depth
The Mets bolstered their pitching depth Sunday by signing a pair of veteran hurlers to minor-league contracts.
Lefthander Mike Montgomery and righthander Tommy Hunter will attend major-league spring training, which begins officially with the Wednesday reporting date for pitchers and catchers.
That brings the Mets’ camp roster to 70 (out of an MLB-mandated maximum 75).
Montgomery, 31, has been mediocre the past couple of seasons, posting a 4.95 ERA and 1.60 WHIP while working mostly as a reliever for the Cubs and Royals. Across parts of six seasons, he has a 3.84 ERA and 1.35 WHIP. Seventy of his 183 appearances have been starts, so he gives the Mets another swingman option, something their other personnel don’t have a ton of experience doing.
Montgomery is best known for recording the final out of the 2016 World Series, when the Cubs won the title for the first time since 1908.
Hunter, 34, has been a reliever exclusively — and effectively — since 2013. Last year, he had a 4.01 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 24 games for the Phillies. Over the past eight years, since transitioning to a full-time bullpen role, he has a 3.24 ERA and 1.11 WHIP, averaging nearly 50 appearances per season.
On paper, there seems to be a winnable bullpen job or two as the Mets head into camp.
Their bullpen depth has taken a couple of hits in the past week. On Thursday, the Mets designated righthander Brad Brach for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for utilityman Jonathan Villar. On Saturday, the Mets revealed that righthander Seth Lugo — their best reliever the past three years — will miss all of spring training because of surgery on Tuesday to remove a bone chip in his elbow.
Edwin Diaz figures to be the closer heading into 2021. The Mets also have Trevor May, Aaron Loup, Dellin Betances, Jeurys Familia, Robert Gsellman, Drew Smith, Sam McWilliams and others.
