Yankees SP Frankie Montas Needs Shoulder Surgery

The pitcher’s shoulder issues predate his injury-plagued Yankees tenure.

When the Yankees first acquired Frankie Montas from the Athletics last August, manager Aaron Boone described the right-hander’s previous shoulder issues as a mere “hiccup.”

Months later, that hiccup is still causing problems for New York.

Montas will undergo shoulder surgery on Feb. 21, Boone announced Wednesday in Tampa, where the Yankees reported for spring training. The 29-year-old was already expected to miss the first month of the season after battling shoulder inflammation over the offseason and related injuries before and after last summer’s trade.

"Best case is he would be back late in the season," Boone told reporters Wednesday. “But we’re really gonna know a lot after [Feb. 21] when they know specifically what they have to do in there.”

Boone said that Montas will have his shoulder scoped, but he did not note any other specifics of the procedure. “Once they’re in there, they’ll know, Do they have to touch the labrum or touch the rotator cuff? And that’ll determine if you have to add weeks to the surgery.”

"We feel very good about the rotation that we will potentially go north with at the end of next month."

With Frankie Montas injured, Aaron Boone is still excited about the Yankees' starters. pic.twitter.com/DfXvXrImHY

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) February 15, 2023

Montas, a free agent after the season, would have likely begun the year as the Yankees’ fifth starter had he been healthy. Clarke Schmidt and Domingo Germán, among others, will compete for that role this spring.

Germán has the advantage of experience, as he’s made 70 career starts, including 14 last season when he had a 3.61 ERA over 72.1 total innings. Schmidt has made just five big league starts in his young career.

Montas’ throwing shoulder forced him to miss time last summer when he was still a member of the Athletics. The Yankees dealt for him soon after anyway, but Montas recorded a 6.35 ERA over eight starts before his shoulder sidelined him again down the stretch.

He returned for the postseason but allowed a home run in the American League Championship Series during his only inning of playoff work.

Despite another setback for Montas, Boone is confident in what the Yankees have pitching-wise. The manager added that he expects Nestor Cortes to be healthy by Opening Day after a hamstring injury kept the southpaw out of the World Baseball Classic.

“Losing Frankie’s clearly a blow,” Boone said. “Unfortunately, we haven’t gotten to see him pitch like the pitcher we know he is. But we also feel very confident in those that are gonna now maybe get an opportunity.

“We feel very good about the rotation that we will potentially go North with at the end of next month.” 

MORE:

• Nestor Cortes Hopes to be Healthy for Start of 2023 Season
• Blue Jays Sign Another Former Yankees Reliever
• Where Yankees’ Top Prospects With Non-Roster Invitation Stand Entering Camp

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