On Monday, the Reds announced that right-handed pitcher Frankie Montas has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to a right forearm contusion. In his absence, fellow right-hander Casey Legumina has been called up to fill his spot on the active roster.
Montas sustained the injury when he was hit by a comebacker from Taylor Ward during yesterday’s game, forcing him to leave after recording only two outs. Despite his early exit, the bullpen admirably covered 8 1/3 innings without allowing any runs, leading the Reds to a remarkable 3-0 victory over the Angels. While X-rays on Montas’s arm showed no fractures, he mentioned yesterday that he would likely miss at least one start due to the discomfort and swelling.
The concern appears to be relatively minor, but the team plans to give him a couple of weeks to allow his arm to recover. According to Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer, manager David Bell anticipates that Montas will only miss two starts, with Nick Martinez stepping in to pitch on Thursday to fill the gap in the rotation.
During the offseason, the Reds signed Montas to a one-year, $16 million contract, hoping for a resurgence in his performance. He had faced challenges with shoulder issues in the latter part of 2022 and then underwent surgery, causing him to miss almost the entire 2023 season.
Before those shoulder problems, Montas had shown considerable skill. In 2021, he pitched 187 innings for the A’s with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.37. He struck out 26.6% of batters while walking just 7.3%, and he induced ground balls on 42.8% of balls in play. The following year, he maintained a 3.18 ERA with similar performance metrics before being traded to the Yankees. However, his shoulder problems resurfaced, leading to surgery and a prolonged absence.
The Reds have yet to witness the rebound they were expecting from Montas. He has recorded a 4.19 ERA in his five starts, though his performance may be considered fortunate to have reached that level. His strikeout rate is only 16.7%, while his walk rate is at 11.9%. Without a .263 batting average on balls in play (BABIP), he might have allowed more runs, reflected in his Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) and Skill-Interactive ERA (SIERA), which are approximately one run higher than his ERA.
Although it’s still a small sample size of 19 1/3 innings, it’s notable that his pitches haven’t fully returned to their pre-surgery effectiveness. His fastball averaged 96.4 miles per hour in 2021 but has dropped to 94 mph this year, with his other pitches also showing reduced velocity. It’s possible that Montas may regain that missing velocity later in the season, but for now, he’ll be sidelined for a few weeks.
In the interim, the rotation will consist of Martinez, Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Graham Ashcraft, and Andrew Abbott. Martinez began the season in the rotation, making two starts before transitioning to a long relief role when Lodolo returned from the injured list. His experience transitioning between starting and relieving, as seen during his time with the Padres, likely played a role in the Reds’ decision to sign him initially.