As per the latest reports, New York Yankees are unlikely to pursue a trade to address Frankie Montas’ injury situation.
New York Yankees are facing injury concerns just weeks before the 2023 MLB season opening day. Further, the defence is the worst-hit area. Two pieces of the starting pitching roster have fallen. For starters, as earlier reported, Frankie Montas is suffering from shoulder inflammation and will sit out for the initial month of the season. However, as per the latest updates, the pitcher will have to go for surgery and will miss most of the 2023 season.
Furthermore, Nestor Cortes pulled out of the World Baseball Classic 2023 due to a grade 2 hamstring injury. While his availability for the regular MLB season’s opening days remains in question, the pitcher has assured of recovering within the time frame. Hence, looking at the current injury scenario, trade speculations are rife within the Yankees camp. However, the front office looks least interested.
Will The Yankees Go For A Trade To Replace Frankie Montas?
The Yankees, who are looking to improve their starting rotation after a disappointing 2022 season, have been linked to several trade targets in recent months. They did acquire Carlos Rodon to strengthen the rotation. However, with the news of Montas’ injury, many experts speculated that the team would be more aggressive in pursuing a trade to fix their rotation.
Despite these rumours, Andy Martino of SNY said that the Yankees are unlikely to pursue a trade to replace Montas. The team is said to be comfortable with its current options and is confident in its ability to compete with the roster they currently have. The Yankees’ starting rotation currently consists of Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Luis Severino and Nestor Cortes. Moreover, Domingo German and Clarke Schmidt are the best options available on the bench. Hence, the Bombers have enough options in the existing bullpen. Also, the New York Yankees are facing luxury tax regulation which will limit the club’s spending structure. Hence, a trade or a buyout looks highly unlikely at the moment.
Fans Blast Brian Cashman For Unfruitful Frankie Montas Trade
Frankie Montas donned the pinstripes last season with a lot of hope. However, the excitement did not go according to plan, as Montas could play only a handful number of games. The pitcher went down with a shoulder injury in the postseason and has struggled ever since. Further, Montas is likely to miss the upcoming season as well, as he is all set to undergo surgery.
Meanwhile, the fans were unhappy and shifted the blame to the Yankees general manager, Brian Cashman. The fans criticized Cashman on Twitter and said the trade deal was a disaster and that the GM should take full responsibility for the current situation. Further, a few sections of the Yankee fan base also demanded Cashman’s ouster in the aftermath of the injury. Meanwhile, Cashman is maintaining silence on the entire situation, and Aaron Boone has been asked to handle the press duties.