Call to the pen
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New York Yankees trade for Frankie Montas looking worse and worse

ByKevin Henry|
Sep 16, 2022; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Frankie Montas (47) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 16, 2022; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Frankie Montas (47) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

With the news on Saturday that New York Yankees starting pitcher Frankie Montas would miss time to start the 2023 season, the trade the Yankees made with the Oakland A’s last season to acquire him is looking more and more like a deal that could well be regretted in the Bronx.

Another Frankie Montas injury report is not helping his cause with the New York Yankees

According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, the 29-year-old Montas “is expected to miss the first month of the regular season and is, according to sources, 8-10 weeks behind in his offseason training.” None of that is good news for Montas, who struggled in eight starts after being acquired from Oakland (along with Lou Trivino) for Cooper Bowman, Luis Medina, JP Sears, and Ken Waldichuk.

Montas posted an ERA+ of 62 in those eight starts covering 39.2 innings, a span where his ERA while in New York rose to 6.35, FIP rose to 4.93, and WHIP went to 1.538. After allowing 7.8 hits per nine innings with Oakland prior to the deal, that number skyrocketed to 10.4 with the Yankees.

All of those numbers happened before Montas landed on the injured list on September 20 (retroactive to September 17) with right shoulder inflammation, making a bad situation deteriorate even more as New York prepared for the postseason.

With Montas on the shelf, Domingo German could become a big part of the New York rotation that added Carlos Rodon this offseason. They will join Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes and Luis Severino as the likely five-man rotation to begin the season, with the Yankees hopeful that Montas can contribute sometime in May.

The absence of Montas will make the Yankees rotation depth something to watch as spring training begins. New York, according to sources, will not pursue free agent Trevor Bauer, and will likely look to enter spring training hoping that its rotation can hold together.

If Montas, who will be a free agent next season, can return quickly and be a presence on the mound for the Yankees, it will help a trade that, as of the moment, is looking worse and worse for New York.

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