After bolstering their bullpen with the addition of reliever Nick Mears Saturday, the Milwaukee Brewers have now upgraded their starting rotation. The Brewers have acquired starting pitcher Frankie Montas from the Cincinnati Reds, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan on X.
Montas, a nine-year veteran, hasn’t been as effective this season as in years past. However, he was one of the best remaining starters available on the market, according to Passan. The 31-year-old righty has posted a 4-8 record with a 5.01 ERA, 1.436 WHIP and 7.5 K/9 in 93.1 innings so far in 2024.
The Brewers sent outfielder Joey Wiemer and right-handed relief pitcher Jakob Janis to the Reds to land Montas, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand on X.
While trades within the same division are uncommon, the Reds are 9.5 games out of first place in the NL Central and five games back in the Wild Card standings. Cincinnati would need to overtake five teams to land the league’s final postseason berth.
In the midst of a lost season, moving Montas makes sense for the Reds as the pitcher is making $14 million this season and has a $20 million mutual option next season before hitting free agency in 2026.
Brewers hope Frankie Montas trade improves starting rotation
The Brewers are hoping Montas can slot into the middle of the rotation and provide innings for the team as they make a second-half push. After paying the remainder of his 2024 salary, Milwaukee can move on from Montas next season and would only be on the hook for $2 million in guaranteed money.
The first-place Brewers hold a six-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central. In addition to Mears and Montas, Milwaukee added starter Aaron Civale earlier this month in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Montas had his best season as a professional in 2019 with the Oakland A’s. That year he had a 9-2 record along with a 2.63 ERA, 1.115 WHIP, a career-best ERA+ of 164 and 103 strikeouts in 96 innings pitched.
While he hasn’t reached those heights since, Montas was very effective for the A’s in 2021, posting a 3.37 ERA over 32 starts and again in 2022 when he had a 3.18 ERA in 19 starts for the team. If the Brewers can get shades of that Montas over the second half of the season, this trade will pay dividends.
It’s possible Milwaukee is not quite done adding players at the trade deadline. The team could use an offensive boost following the indefinite loss of superstar Christian Yelich, who avoided season-ending surgery but hit the injured list with a lower back ailment.
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