The Yankees kicked off spring training with a devastating loss on the pitching staff. Manager Aaron Boone said in his first press conference that Frankie Montas would have shoulder surgery. It’s a scope procedure that “best case scenario” would see him return late in the season.
MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch was first with the unfortunate news.
Frankie Montas will have surgery on Feb. 21, Aaron Boone said.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) February 15, 2023
The good news for the Yankees is spring training just started and this isn’t an emergency. Remember, New York won’t need a fifth starter regularly until about mid-April. This gives in-house options like Clarke Schmidt, Domingo German, and even prospect Jhony Brito plenty of time to ramp up.
But on the other hand, this is a black eye for general manager Brian Cashman and his front office. We now know for certain that Frankie Montas was injured when he was acquired from Oakland last summer. The Yankees gave up two top pitching prospects in Ken Waldichuk and JP Sears for Montas, both of whom performed well for the A’s last season.
Except now, the Yankees’ minor league pitching cupboard is almost bare and Cashman just got a new four-year deal. Hopefully, new consultant Brian Sabean can help solve this problem.
As for Montas, his surgery is scheduled for Feb. 21. Even if he comes back late in the season, he won’t be pitching significant innings for the Yankees in 2023. He just has to get healthy and focus on his recovery ahead of hitting free agency next winter. Talk about bad timing.
The Yankees, meanwhile, have no choice but to move forward without Montas and hope the No. 5 slot in the rotation doesn’t become a void. Enough in-house options exist that no trades are imminently on the horizon.
However, perhaps Frankie Montas and his upcoming surgery will provide Cashman’s team a valuable lesson. When trading for a player, make sure you get the full story on his medicals!
