Frankie Montas contract details, grade: Reds take smart gamble on starter

The Cincinnati Reds entered the offseason needing some help in their rotation. They have players with all kinds of potential mainly in Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo, but lacked the veteran frontline starter good teams need.

They had hoped to potentially swing a trade for Dylan Cease or another ace of that caliber, but with prices being out of control, they turned to the free agency market to add to their rotation. They have signed Frankie Montas in a move that can only really be seen as solid.

Frankie Montas contract details with Reds

The Reds signed Montas to a one-year deal worth $16 million. The terms are pretty nuts, but with the Reds only committing to one year, it makes a whole lot of sense for a team in need of rotation help. Sure, they'd like more bang for their buck potentially, but the better free agents are likely out of their price range.

Remember, Lance Lynn got $11 million from the Cardinals after posting an ERA around 6.00 and allowing the most home runs in the majors. Yoshinobu Yamamoto got the most money for a starting pitcher ever despite never even throwing a pitch in MLB. Starting pitching is at a premium right now. Good for Montas.

The 30-year-old has a lot of upside, which is what got him the $16 million despite him recording just four outs in 2023. The right-hander was one of the best pitchers in the AL in 2021, posting a 3.37 ERA in 32 starts and finishing sixth in the Cy Young balloting. He was having an even better year in 2022 before a midseason trade to the Yankees ruined that.

Montas was preparing for a bounce-back season in 2023 with New York, but a shoulder injury ruined those hopes. He was able to return for that one appearance to end the season which is a good sign for this Reds team hoping to rise to the top of the NL Central.

Frankie Montas contract grade: Reds deal eerily similar to Sonny Gray's

What makes this especially intriguing for Reds fans is the Sonny Gray connection. Gray began his career in Oakland and developed into one of the top pitchers of the American League. He was traded to the Yankees and struggled, leading to an eventual trade to the Reds. In Cincinnati, he regained his form and was back in the NL Cy Young conversation immediately.

The Reds have every reason to believe Montas can excel for them in 2023, and if he doesn't he's off the team. He joins Nick Lodolo, Hunter Greene, Graham Ashcraft, and presumably new signee Andrew Abbott or new signee Nick Martinez as part of an improved rotation. Montas could be the piece that puts Cincinnati over the top in the NL Central.

While the deal is rich, there's no such thing as a bad one-year commitment. If he's good, the Reds have to like their chances in the Central. If he's not, oh well, he's gone after the year. It would've been nice for a club option to be tacked onto the deal, especially with it being so expensive for 2023, but there isn't too much else to dislike from the Reds point of view.

Grade: A-