New York Mets starter Frankie Montas has been sidelined indefinitely due to a high-grade lat strain, manager Carlos Mendoza revealed on Monday. He will be unable to throw for six to eight weeks before requiring a full spring training-style buildup to prepare for the 2025 season.

Montas first experienced discomfort following his initial spring training side session on Feb. 12, reporting triceps soreness. After a medical evaluation, imaging revealed significant inflammation, leading multiple doctors to diagnose the injury. He has since returned to New York to receive a PRP injection.

The 31-year-old right-hander joined the Mets in December on a two-year, $34 million contract, expected to provide depth in a revamped rotation. His signing followed a season in which he went 7-11 with a 4.84 ERA and 148 strikeouts over 150.2 innings with the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers. It marked only the second time in his nine-year career that he surpassed 150 innings, the first being his breakout 2021 campaign with the Athletics, when he posted a 13-9 record with a 3.37 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 187 innings. Over the last three seasons, he has recorded a 4.43 ERA.

Montas’ extended absence adds more uncertainty to an already unstable Mets rotation heading into 2025. Kodai Senga is returning from a 2024 campaign in which he logged just 5.1 innings due to multiple injuries, while Clay Holmes is transitioning from a Yankees closer to a Mets starter. The battle for the No. 6 spot in the rotation features Paul Blackburn, Tylor Megill, and Griffin Canning, none of whom have established consistent success at the major league level.

It remains unclear whether Montas’ injury will prompt Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns to seek additional pitching depth. However, Mendoza acknowledged the need for rotational flexibility over a long season.

“We know that to get through 162-plus games, we’ll need eight to ten guys,” Mendoza said. “This is nothing new for us. Guys will step up, guys will get opportunities, and we feel good about the options we have.”