Yankees’ big deadline acquisition admits he wasn’t healthy when traded to New York

The New York Yankees traded with the Oakland Athletics for starter Frankie Montas in 2022 at the MLB deadline, hoping his presence would bolster their rotation for a potential World Series run.

While the Yankees weren’t able to reach that series, they also weren’t able to see the best version of Montas in his limited time on the mound. Now we know why.

Montas revealed on Wednesday that he wasn’t fully healthy when the Yankees acquired him in July. 

“I was like eh-eh. I wasn’t fully 100 percent,” Montas said via the New York Post. “I was trying to pitch through it. Of course, I got traded to a new team, I wanted to show what I can do. Things didn’t go the way I was expecting. But I’m here to try to help this team and go out there and show what I can really do when I’m healthy.”

Montas was removed from the injured list for a few weeks after dealing with shoulder inflammation while with Oakland when the Yankees made the deal. However, that inflammation resurfaced after eight starts, where Montas owned a 6.35 ERA. 

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Montas hit the IL, leaving him off the Yankees’ ALDS roster against the Cleveland Guardians. He was on the ALCS roster for the Houston Astros series but only in a relief role.

GM Brian Cashman told the Post in February that Montas had a “clean bill of health” when the trade was made. But he has admitted the trade moves into the “bad category” now. 

“We gave up assets and we didn’t get anything for it,” Cashman said.

After trying to work through a throwing program this offseason, Montas’s shoulder didn’t show any improvement, leading to a recent surgery to clear out his labrum. 

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“This was a thing I had to take care of,” Montas said. “I don’t have control of it. Of course, trust me, I’m one of the guys that wants to be out there pitching right now and showing what I can do. But things didn’t work out that way, so just trying to rehab and come back so I can help with whatever they want me to do.”

He’s expected to miss months, but Montas promises he’ll play this season. 

“Oh yeah, no doubt,” he said. “I’ll for sure be back this season.”

With Montas not starting the season in the Yankees’ rotation, manager Aaron Boone is currently evaluating a battle between Domingo German and Clarke Schmidt for the final starter spot.