The New York Yankees faced another setback in their pursuit of strengthening their starting pitching as free agent pitcher Frankie Montas agreed to a one-year, $16 million deal with the Cincinnati Reds, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Despite discussions within the Yankees about potentially re-signing Montas on a one-year contract, the Reds were willing to offer a higher sum for a player recovering from an injury-ridden season in 2023. Montas spent the entirety of last year recovering from shoulder surgery and only pitched 1.1 innings in the final game of the season.
However, his track record shows consistency with at least 144 innings pitched in the two years before his injury-plagued season. He boasted a 3.37 ERA across 187 innings in 2021 and held a 3.18 ERA over 104.2 innings with Oakland before being traded to the Yankees in 2022.
This loss adds pressure on the Yankees’ search for pitching, with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Nestor Cortes, and Clarke Schmidt as the main starting options for now. Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell remain free agents, but General Manager Brian Cashman might explore trade possibilities. Shane Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians appears as a viable option, especially considering his recent performance and contract situation.
While higher-priced options like Dylan Cease or Corbin Burnes exist, the cost, particularly in terms of the farm system, might not be advisable. With dwindling options, the Yankees must urgently address their pitching needs if they aim for a serious World Series contention in 2024. Missing out on Yoshinobu Yamamoto after securing Juan Soto was a significant setback, necessitating innovative solutions for the team’s pitching deficiencies.
