The New York Mets have signed LHP Chasen Shreve, LHP Mike Montgomery, and CF Travis Jankowski to minor league deals and invited them to Spring Training. Shreve and Montgomery join the wide-open left-handed reliever competition, and Jankowski becomes an option in the fourth outfielder race.
Shreve, 31, pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates last season making 57 appearances going 3-3 with a 3.20 ERA, 1.260 WHIP, 4.5 BB/9, and a 7.2 K/9. The previous season he pitched for the Mets where he posted career bests with a 12.2 K/9 and a 2.83 K/BB.
Montgomery, 32, last pitched in the majors in 2020 when he only made three appearances. Montgomery was outrighted off the Kansas City Royals roster after he refused an assignment to Triple-A.
Last offseason, Montgomery signed a deal with the Mets entering Spring Training. However, when Montgomery did not make the Opening Day roster, he signed with the New York Yankees organization. After posting an 8.10 ERA over his four appearances, he was not called up to the majors, and Montgomery exercised the out clause in his contract.
Montgomery signed with the Samsung Lions of the KBO where he was 2-5 with a 5.71 ERA, 1.615 WHIP, 6.6 BB/9, and a 9.5 K/9. His stint with the Lions ended with controversy. He was ejected from a game for violating the pitch clock. After the ejection, Montgomery threw a rosin bag at the umpire, and he would throw his jersey onto the field as he needed into the clubhouse.
Jankowski, 30, played 76 games with the Philadelphia Phillies last season. He hit .252/.364/.351 with six doubles, two homers, one homer, and 10 RBI. Janskowski has a good defensive reputation with a career 20 OAA, which includes a 2 OAA in 248.0 innings in center last season.
This could present a homecoming of sorts for Jankowski. He had attended SUNY Stony Brook before he was selected by the San Diego Padres in the first round of the 2012 draft.
According to the terms of his contract, Jankowski will receive $1.25 million if he reaches the majors. The terms of the other two contracts mentioned above have not yet been released.
