QUEENS, NY — New York Mets starting pitcher Frankie Montas has been demoted to the bullpen following a rash of poor starts, manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed on Tuesday prior to their series opener against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field.

The 32-year-old right-hander has been unable to find his footing after signing a two-year, $34 million deal to bolster the Mets' rotation over the winter. In eight appearances (seven starts), he was 3-2 with a 6.38 ERA, which included 15 earned runs yielded in his last three outings (11.1 innings).

"He's not happy. He's a competitor," Mendoza said. "He wants to start. That's what we brought him in for, but understanding that the results have to be there. He understood and he's going to do whatever it takes.

"We just need to see consistency, and he'll b

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