Yankees’ Frankie Montas having shoulder surgery, could miss season

The New York Yankees will be without one of their key pitchers for the bulk of the 2023 MLB season.

Manager Aaron Boone announced on Wednesday that Frankie Montas is having shoulder surgery next week and could be out for the year.

The promising right-hander initially injured his shoulder this past September, though he made one appearance in the postseason. The Yankees, of course, had just acquired Montas and reliever Lou Trivino from the Oakland Athletics before the trade deadline for pitching prospects Ken Waldichuk, Luis Medina and JP Sears and infielder Cooper Bowman.

Montas was projected to slot in the back half of a loaded rotation that still includes Gerrit Cole, free-agent signee Carlos Rodon, Nestor Cortes and Luis Severino. Domingo Germán, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil are among the candidates to take Montas’ spot.

Montas was a Cy Young candidate in 2021 and was dealing again last year prior to being traded. He struggled with the Yanks, however, posting a 6.35 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and 33 strikeouts across 39.2 innings and eight starts. The 29-year-old will be a free agent after this season.

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