"I wanted to be part of a team that wants to win" - Frankie Montas outlines winning desire behind move to the 'electric' Reds

Frankie Montas is all set to start his new journey with the Cincinnati Reds. Montas agreed to a one-year contract worth $14 million, with a $20 million mutual option for 2025 and a $2 million buyout option.

The 30-year-old right-handed pitcher was traded to the New York Yankees in 2022 by the Oakland Athletics, but only played nine games for the Yankees. Due to a shoulder injury, he was ruled out of the 2023 season just after one game. Despite this, the Reds showed confidence in Montas's 3.90 ERA and welcomed him to the team.

In an interview on the "MLB Tonight" show, Montas expressed his excitement to join the "electric" roster of Elly De La Cruz and confirmed that his shoulder is now in "good" condition.

“They’re all electric, and I wanted to be part of a team that wants to win. And the Reds, I think it was the best fit for me,” Montas said.

“The way they play I feel like they had a little bit of everything. I feel their team made on highlights. They are on highlights every night.”

He will be part of the Reds rotation, which includes Hunter Greene, Brandon Williamson, Nick Lodolo, Graham Ashcraft, Nick Martinez and Andrew Abbott. A healthy Montas will be a great asset for Cincinnati.

The Cincinnati Reds have one of the best young cores among MLB teams, and they are still waiting for a chance to compete in the postseason since the 2020 season. The question now is whether the addition of Frankie Montas will help lead them to success in 2024.

Frankie Montas' career so far

Frankie Montas made his MLB debut in 2015 against the Minnesota Twins. He has spent eight years in MLB so far, including five-and-a-half seasons with the Athletics, one-and-a-half with the New York Yankees, and his rookie year with the Chicago White Sox.

Montas has played 130 games with a 37-35 record while maintaining a 3.90 ERA for 593.2 innings and 612 strikeouts.

He appeared in two postseasons, one with the Athletics in 2020 and the other with the Yankees in 2022. He played three games and had a 9.45 ERA in 6.2 innings with six strikeouts. Montas has never played beyond the divisional series.