Frankie Montas not helping Oakland A’s trade hopes

Frankie Montas was one of the biggest surprises of the offseason for the Oakland A’s. While virtually anyone else of value who made more than the minimum was traded away, Montas remained in Oakland. Perhaps there simply was not enough time to get a deal done before Opening Day, but the A’s new ace took the ball on Friday.

This does not mean that the A’s are keeping Montas. It is entirely possible that he ends up being traded at some point during the season, possibly at the trade deadline. Given his strong showing in 2021, and the fact that he is under team control through 2023, Montas could bring a significant return back to Oakland.

Frankie Montas struggles in first trade showcase for Oakland A’s

Naturally, the A’s are hoping that Montas can have a strong start to the season. Not only would that help the A’s in the standings, but that would also further improve his trade value. Instead, Montas fell flat in his first outing of 2022, allowing five runs on six hits and a walk over his five innings, striking out five.

The vast majority of that damage came in the third inning. A walk, three singles, and a double led to four runs, essentially sealing the A’s fate. While Montas was able to right the ship over the final two innings, their hopes had come to an end.

Obviously, one outing does not a season make. There is likely little reason to be concerned with Montas going forward given his performance last season and in 2019. However, it would have been a boost for the organization and the young roster to have that first outing result in a win, especially after the offense battled back against Aaron Nola.

Frankie Montas clearly was not at his best on Friday. While it was just one outing, he did not exactly help the Oakland A’s trade hopes.