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Jesse Rogers, ESPN Staff Writer
The Cincinnati Reds added a veteran pitcher on Saturday, agreeing to terms with righty Frankie Montas on a one-year, $16 million contract, sources told ESPN.
The deal is pending a physical.
Montas, 30, missed almost all of last season for the Yankees after undergoing shoulder surgery in February. He was acquired by New York midseason in 2022 but struggled over eight starts in the final two months of that year, compiling a 6.35 ERA.
The bulk of his career was spent in Oakland where he had his best season in 2021, going 13-9 with a 3.37 ERA in 32 starts. The eight-year veteran has a career 3.90 ERA.
Montas made one appearance in the final weekend of the 2023 season after recovering from his shoulder ailment. It showed teams he was healthy leading into free agency.
He joins a Reds squad looking to improve on the mound. Cincinnati ranked 25th in ERA last season, mostly featuring a very young pitching staff. The Reds already added veterans Emilio Pagan and Nick Martinez this offseason as they attempt to take another step in their team’s development.
Cincinnati is likely to be one of the favorites to win the NL Central utilizing a young core of both position players and pitchers. MLB Network was first to report the agreement.