Inside The Pinstripes

Frankie Montas Takes Loss in Yankee Stadium Debut

After allowing six earned runs on Thursday night in his first start in pinstripes, Montas has a 9.00 ERA with the Yankees.

Max Goodman

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NEW YORK — Decked out in pinstripes for the first time since he was acquired by the Yankees before the trade deadline, starter Frankie Montas had his first opportunity to win over a frustrated fan base in the Bronx on Thursday night.

Much like Montas' first two outings with his new team, however, the right-hander quickly found himself pitching from behind, trying to limit damage after a crooked number early on.

Montas gave up five earned runs in the second inning against the Blue Jays on Thursday night, three coming on one swing from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The slugger's three-run blast to the opposite field came with two outs on a 1-0 fastball over the heart of the plate.

As much as Montas flashed some potential from that point on—retiring the side in order in the third, fourth and sixth innings—an absent offense behind him meant the deadline acquisition was charged with his first loss as a Yankee. New York ended up falling 9-2, a disappointing and uninspiring encore to their dramatic comeback win over the Rays on Wednesday night.

Factoring in six total earned runs in six frames on Thursday—giving up eight hits while walking a batter—Montas has pitched to the tune of a 9.00 ERA since joining New York's rotation. 

Montas, along with reliever Lou Trivino, was acquired from Oakland in exchange for four prospects. Trivino has pitched well since the trade, allowing just one earned run to score over nine outings (5.2 innings pitched). 

Montas' Yankees debut on August 7 also featured a five spot in the second frame, with three runs coming on a homer (off the bat of Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado). In other words, 10 of the 14 earned runs Montas has allowed with the Yankees so far have come in a span of two innings.

Still, considering Montas was New York's blockbuster acquisition at this year's deadline, it's a tough pill to swallow seeing him struggle as a small sample size continues to grow.

To make matters worse, the starting pitcher the Yankees traded away before the deadline has been practically perfect for his new team. Jordan Montgomery earned his third win in as many starts on Wednesday night for the Cardinals. He's given up one earned run in 16.2 frames with St. Louis.

With Thursday's loss, New York is now 3-12 since the trade deadline and 9-18 since the All-Star break. They'll face these Blue Jays three more times before closing out this nine-game homestand against the Mets early next week.

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Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Yankees for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. Goodman has been on the Yankees beat for three seasons. He is also the publisher of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Jets site, Jets Country. Before starting Inside The Pinstripes, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. At school, Goodman was an anchor and reporter with NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. While at Northwestern, Goodman interned with MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman. You can connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.

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