2024 Mets Report Card: Phil Maton, RP

Phil Maton, SP

Player Data: Age: 31 (03/25/1993), B/T: R/R

Primary Stats: 31 G (0 GS), 28.2 IP, 2.51 ERA, 0.837 WHIP, 2-1, 30 SO, 6 BB
Advanced Stats: 159 ERA+, 26.5 SO%, 5.3 BB%, 2.57 FIP, 3.39 xFIP, 0.7 fWAR

2024 Salary: $6.25 million

Grade: B+

2024 Review

The first domino to fall in president of baseball operations David Stearns’ trade deadline plans for the Mets was acquiring Phil Maton to help fix the bullpen. Stearns added the eight-year veteran during a down year; Maton had pitched to a 4.58 ERA and an even rougher 5.63 FIP over 40 appearances with the Tampa Bay Rays, which is why they were willing to part ways with him for just cash considerations.

Maton’s experience likely factored into the Mets’ decision to bring him in over other potential options. Leading into the 2024 season, he had posted a career ERA of 4.25 with four teams, translating to an about average 98 ERA+. Additionally, there was reason to believe his struggles with Tampa Bay were largely due to bad luck. Maton’s stats over 68 games in 2023 included an expected batting average against and hard-hit percentage in the 95th percentile or better. He also showed promise by turning in ten scoreless outings over his prior eleven appearances before joining New York.

After joining a contending team, Maton left his Rays troubles behind him. In July, he allowed just two runs across seven innings while picking up three holds and a win. As the Mets piled up victories, Stearns added more relievers in Ryne Stanek and Huascar Brazobán. However, it was the soft-throwing Maton who outshined both flamethrowers. The right-hander tossed another 12 1/3 innings in August, finishing out four games over that span, and pitched to a brilliant 1.59 ERA. He parlayed that success into a slightly less amazing but still respectable September as his ERA on the month rose to 3.86, but he held opponents to a .222 batting average and a .560 OPS.

Maton was a lock for a spot on New York’s postseason roster—and rightfully so. After joining the Mets, he posted an impressive 2.51 ERA with a matching 2.57 FIP in the regular season. However, as the team entered October, the reliability fans had come to expect from him started to fade. In Game 2 of the Wild Card series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Maton surrendered a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning by giving up two big home runs to Jackson Chourio and Garrett Mitchell. It was a concerning turn of events, raising questions about whether Maton’s pitch-to-contact and low velocity style could hold up under postseason pressure, especially after he’d managed to limit hard contact all season. His blunders left Mets fans unable to rest easy, robbing them of a good night’s sleep.

Yet, Maton was surprisingly solid for the squad overall. Despite a fastball velocity in the literal 1st percentile, he posted impressive hard-hit and ground-ball rates in the 88th and 75th percentile, respectively. The Mets relied on Maton whenever they needed strikes, which was a vital role for a team whose pitchers struggled to find the zone throughout 2024. His playoff struggles likely reflected the challenge of facing more skilled lineups, which exposed some of Maton’s vulnerabilities. His 88.7 mph cutter wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done in the regular season, proving that sometimes a change in scenery is all it takes for a veteran to find his groove.

2025 Overview

Maton now enters free agency with eight years of Major League experience under his belt. He’s managed a sub-4 ERA in each of the past three seasons, with an especially encouraging second half in 2024. At 31-years-old, there’s a chance he could land a multi-year deal, but a one-year contract around $5 million would make sense for a team looking for a steady, experienced arm.

While it didn’t guarantee the Mets were saying goodbye when they declined Maton’s $7.75 million club option for 2025, it also could have meant they were thanking him for his service and moving on. Plenty of fans will remember his playoff blunders, but the reality is that Maton gave the Mets bullpen a much-needed lift. Not everyone will recall those bases-loaded jams he escaped to keep the season alive, or the calm he showed on the mound no matter the stakes. Yet somewhere inside, we know that without Maton, this 2024 team isn’t quite the same.

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