While the fates of Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz are known — the two electing to opt out of their contracts for free agency — the Mets announced another flurry of roster moves on Tuesday afternoon.
They exercised the club option on southpaw reliever Brooks Raley’s contract, ensuring he is back for the 2026 season. The 37-year-old remained a stalwart of the Mets’ bullpen upon his return from Tommy John surgery, posting a 2.45 ERA across 25.2 innings of work and becoming a reliable late-inning option in the process.
Fellow reliever Drew Smith’s club option, worth $2 million, was not picked up by the Mets. The 32-year-old righty signed a one-year deal with that option prior to the 2025 season while he recovered from his second Tommy John surgery. He now becomes a free agent after spending the last seven years with the organization.
A pair of pitchers with player options opted into their Mets deals for 2026, which does not provide much of a surprise.
AJ Minter, who made just 13 appearances in his debut season in Queens after signing in free agency from the Atlanta Braves, will be back for a second season after recovering from a lat injury that required season-ending surgery in May.
Frankie Montas will try to bounce back from a nightmare first year with the Mets. Brought in as David Stearns’ latest reclamation project, the 32-year-old right-hander posted a bloated 6.28 ERA and was demoted to the bullpen before an elbow injury that required surgery ended his season in Setpember.
While he is expected to miss the entirety of the 2026 season, he will make $17 million during his rehab year, which will likely be his final stretch with the Mets as they look to revamp their starting rotation.
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