Brian Cashman

Akshita Patel

Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman Clarifies Frankie Montas’ Statement About His Trade Due Diligence

New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman hits back at Frankie Montas after the pitcher reveals of being injured during the time of his trade.

The Yankees acquired Frankie Montas in a trade with the Oakland Athletics in August of last year. At the time, he was seen as a pivotal addition to the team’s pitching rotation and was expected to help them make a push for the playoffs. However, things went south when he went down with a shoulder injury and ended his season prematurely.

   

Meanwhile, ahead of the start of the new season, Montas’ shoulder injury has resurfaced, and he underwent surgery for the same. Moreover, he is likely the major part of this season due to the same injury. However, Frankie Montas recently admitted that he was dealing with an injury before the team traded for him. This revelation has sparked controversy among fans and analysts who are questioning the ethics of the trade and the team’s decision-making processes.

Brian Cashman Responds To Frankie Montas’ Injury Claim & Justifies The Trade Deal

Yankees
Yankees

Frankie Montas, on Wednesday, gave an interview wherein he claimed that he wasn’t feeling 100% healthy during his trade last year. Moreover, in a move to make a mark on a new team, he pushed himself too hard, causing more damage to his existing injury. On the other hand, Montas’ admission has raised questions about the ethics of the trade. Some critics have accused the Yankees of being aware of Montas’ injury before making the trade and failing to disclose it. They argue that this put the team in a difficult position and may have contributed to their failure in the ALCS.

A day later, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman came forward to respond to the accusations. He hit back at Frankie Montas and said it’s easy for him to say this now. But when they discussed the contract with him last year, the pitcher said he felt absolutely fine and healthy. Moreover, Cashman also said that the team did a full medical of Montas before his sign-in, and he looked fine then. Further, the GM felts gutted that things did not go well according to the plan. Amid the entire fiasco, the bottom line is that the Yankees starting rotation is in trouble as four starters are dealing with injuries just two weeks ahead of the regular season opening day.

Except For Gerrit Cole, The Entire Yankees Pitching Rotation Ends Up On The Injury List

Carlos Rodon
Kim Klement | USA TODAY Sports

Looks like trouble is mounting for New York Yankees at an alarming rate. After Frankie Montas, the team lost Nestor Cortes to a hamstring injury. Now, as per the latest developments, Carlos Rodon, Lou Trivino, and Tommy Kahnle have all entered the injury list and are likely to miss 2-3 months of action. Rodon injured his left forearm and will likely return mid to late April.

Furthermore, Tommy Kahnle is dealing with biceps tendinitis, and he will, too, miss the opening day. Lastly, Lou Trivino has sprained his elbow ligament and is unavailable until May. The only healthy starting pitcher in the Yankees camp at the moment is Gerrit Cole. With approximately two weeks to the 2023 MLB season opening day, the Bombers face an uphill battle to rebuild the starting rotation.