Mike Gunzelman
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New York Yankees starting pitcher Frankie Montas admitted to reporters on Wednesday that he was actually hurt before the team acquired him last season.
As a result, Montas had to undergo shoulder surgery and isn’t expected to return to the team until at least August.
Not great!
Montas was traded to the Yankees last season along with reliever Lou Trivino for JP Sears, Ken Waldichuk, Luis Medina, and Cooper Bowman right before the trade deadline on August 1st.
It was a curious trade based on the fact that Montas had missed nearly all of July for shoulder-related issues.
The Yankees still went ahead with the trade, however. Montas made eight starts before being placed on the Injured List in September with further shoulder inflammation. He would miss the entire Yankees postseason run. During his time in the Bronx, he went 1-3 with a 6.35 ERA.
Now, Montas is saying that he knew the whole time something was wrong.
“I wasn’t 100% healthy,” Montas told reporters Wednesday. “I was trying to push through. I got traded to a new team and wanted to show what I could do. Things didn’t go the way I was expecting.”
Not exactly what the Yankees fan base wanted to hear about the 29-year-old that was supposed to be their No. 2 starter.
MONTAS WILL BE OUT TILL AT LEAST AUGUST
The question now is – how in the world did he pass the Yankees physical if the pitcher himself is admitting that he wasn’t good to go?
Also, why was he allowed to continue with multiple starts if something was wrong, which clearly could be surmised based on his high ERA? Essentially, how do the Yankees, of all teams, blow it so bad here?
Montas is out for at least the next few months after undergoing successful shoulder surgery in February. He is expected to be out 12 weeks before he can begin a throwing program.
Frankie Montas recently told reporters that he will absolutely return this year.
When he does, he better be a lights out pitcher.
Otherwise, you just know that Yankees fans will absolutely wreck him for essentially fleecing the team last season in order to make the trade happen. And I’m sure Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman isn’t too pleased either.
