The Cincinnati Reds have signed starting pitcher Frankie Montas of Sainagua, Dominican Republic to a one-year contract worth $16 million on Saturday. The Reds become the fourth Major League Baseball team Montas has played for. He was previously with the Chicago White Sox (2015), the Oakland Athletics (2017 to 2022), and the New York Yankees (2022 to 2023).
Only one Major League Appearance in 2023
Prior to training camp for the 2023 Major League Baseball regular season, it was announced that Montas would need arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder and would miss the majority of the year. He did come into pitch an inning and a third for the Yankees in a 5-2 New York win over the Kansas City Royals on September 30. Montas got the win in relief, as he pitched to seven batters, and threw 26 pitches. Montas had 15 strikes, 11 balls, and gave up two hits and one walk, to go along with one strikeout, and an earned run average of 0.00. He also had a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 2.25.
Best Major League Season
Montas had his most notable Major League season in 2021 with the Athletics. He had a record of 13 wins and nine losses with an earned run average of 3.37. Montas led the American League with 32 starts, and was fourth in the American League in strikeouts that season with 207. He was only behind Robbie Ray of the Toronto Blue Jays (248), Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees (243), and Dylan Cease of the Chicago White Sox (226).
Number Two Starter in 2024
If healthy, expect Montas to be considered a number two starter for the Reds this season. Hunter Greene is the projected number one starter, with Graham Ashcraft, Andrew Abbott and Nick Martinez in the mix as starting pitchers.
Other Notable Tidbits
In 2015, Montas was traded from the Chicago White Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers, however he never pitched for the Dodgers, as he missed the first four months of the season with a broken rib. In 2019, while with the Athletics, Montas was suspended 80 games for taking the banned substance ostarine.
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