Frankie Montas injury update: Oakland A’s dodge bullet

It was easy to assume the worst when Frankie Montas departed Sunday’s game after just one inning. His velocity was down by three to four miles per hour, an extremely concerning sign and one that could foretell an injury. That was a viable concern when the Oakland A’s announced that Montas was not removed due to a pending transaction.

Instead, the A’s received what could be the best news possible. According to Martin Gallegos from MLB.com, Montas was removed for precautionary reasons as he had tightness in the back of his shoulder. That tightness led to difficulties for him to get extended while pitching, which may have caused that loss in velocity.

Oakland A’s dodge bullet with Frankie Montas injury

As of right now, manager Mark Kotsay is saying that Montas is day to day. It would not be a surprise if he missed a start just to make certain that he is not dealing with an injury. But the fact that he is dealing with what could be considered a minor ailment is encouraging.

This puts the A’s plans back on track. Montas is likely to be traded at the deadline as he is one of the more attractive pitchers available. His run of good health, ability to pitch deep into games, and take the ball every fifth day with impressive results make him an extremely valuable trade asset.

There is also plenty of time left before the trade deadline. Montas could easily get another two or three starts to prove that he is healthy and his issues on Sunday were just a matter of not getting stretched out enough. Should he continue his strong run in those outings, the A’s could get those top prospects they need.

The Oakland A’s need Frankie Montas to be healthy for the trade deadline. That may be the case after his injury scare on Sunday.