Calendar year 2023 featured Frankie Montas having shoulder surgery in February, recording a grand total of four outs at the Major League level, and signing a 1-year, $16 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds. That latter news dropped on Saturday afternoon, as MLB Network’s Jon Heyman initially relayed it:
Breaking: Frankie Montas goes to Reds
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 30, 2023
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand later confirmed the deal, noting that Montas will earn $16 million for his lone year on the deal.
It’s a huge gamble for the Reds, though clearly they had been turned off by the absurd asking price for pitchers on the trade market during their offseason search for an improved rotation.