Aaron Civale is in. The fifth starter spot, at least on paper, is accounted for. Pitchers and catchers are reported. Spring Training has officially begun.
And yet, the Oakland A’s might not be done.
Because while Civale stabilizes the rotation, there’s a familiar name still lingering on the free-agent market — one that once defined the franchise’s pitching identity: Frankie Montas.
At first sentimental glance, a reunion feels emotional. Montas hasn’t looked like the dominant right-hander A’s fans remember since being traded to the Yankees in 2022. Injuries derailed 2023. In 2024, he posted a 4.84 ERA across 150+ innings with Cincinnati and Milwaukee. Last season with the Mets? A 6.28 ERA previously designated for assignment in November.
That’s not ace material. That’s reclamation territory.
But here’s where it gets interesting.
Underneath the ERA, Montas’ pitch metrics suggest something isn’t completely broken. His overall Stuff+ sat at 106 (league average is 100). His splitter — once a signature weapon — graded at 122 Stuff+, firmly in elite territory. His four-seam fastball generated a .215 expected batting average. The splitter? .200 xBA with a 32% whiff rate.
Those aren’t the numbers of a pitcher without life.
The problem? Everything else.
Sinker. Slider. Sweeper. Cutter. Most were getting hit hard — batting averages north of .300. The sweeper flashed decent expected results but coherent execution. As a starter, that’s a red flag. MLB lineups adjust quickly when a pitcher effectively only trusts two offerings.
Which brings us to the quiet pivot in this conversation:
What if Montas isn’t a starter anymore?
Civale’s arrival reduces the urgency to plug him into the rotation. Oakland’s young arms are knocking on the door. The fifth starter debate has enough candidates. But the bullpen? That’s where a two-pitch power combo can thrive.
In shorter stints, a 98-mph fastball paired with an elite splitter could play up. Limit exposure. Simplify sequencing. Lean into the strengths. Instead of trying to stretch him across six innings with a compromised pitch mix, let him attack for one.
It wouldn’t cost much. The proposal isn’t a guaranteed MLB deal — it’s a minor-league contract. No 40-man spot sacrificed. Minimal financial risk. Maximum flexibility.
And if it doesn’t work? You move on quietly.
But if it does?
You suddenly have a former frontline starter rediscovering his edge in leverage innings. A buy-low asset who could even become trade bait at the deadline if he flashes first-half dominance.
There’s irony here. Montas thrived in Oakland Coliseum — a pitcher-friendly environment where he posted a 3.28 ERA at home in 2022. Now the A’s are in a more hitter-friendly setting. That matters. Context changes outcomes. outcomes.
Still, pitching labs and development staffs matter more in 2026 than ballpark nostalgia.
Oakland has nothing to lose by exploring the idea — and possibly something to gain.
This isn’t about recreating the past. The version of Montas who once carried stretches of the rotation may not be coming back.
But a new version? A streamlined, weaponized bullpen, two-pitch Montas?
That’s a different conversation.
Civale gives the A’s structure. A Montas reunion would represent imagination.
And sometimes, the difference between rebuilding and lies quietly competing in whether you’re willing to see a former star not for what he was…
…but for what he might still become in a different role. ⚡
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