Brewers Acquire Frankie Montas in Three-Player Deal With Reds

[Jack Stern]

The Brewers exchanged some of their 40-man roster depth for rotation help, bringing in a rental starting pitcher from a division rival.

Image courtesy of Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

The Brewers have reportedly swung their second trade for pitching in just over 48 hours, with Robert Murray breaking the news that rental starter Frankie Montas is coming to Milwaukee from the division-rival Cincinnati Reds. Mark Feinsand reported that swingman Jakob Junis and outfielder Joey Wiemer are headed the other way in the deal.

Montas has made 19 starts for the Reds this year, amassing a 5.01 ERA with similar estimators in 93 1/3 innings. That output has come on the heels of a 2023 campaign that was wiped out by shoulder surgery, save for a single relief appearance for the Yankees after an activation from the injured list in the final days of the season.

The 31-year-old has returned from that injury having lost a tick of velocity from his heyday, but his four-seam fastball still averages 95.3 mph. His signature splitter has also held opponents to a .259 wOBA while inducing whiffs on 41% of swings. Montas has also added some lateral movement to his slider since he last threw it in a big-league game in 2022.

Montas enjoyed a one-and-a-half-year run as one of baseball's more effective starters while pitching for the Athletics before his trade to New York, but his upside is rather limited at this stage of his career. His swing-and-miss, walk, and quality of contact rates are all well below the league average, and his trio of fastballs lack inspiring characteristics.

The Brewers have had success in helping pitchers like Colin Rea and Bryse Wilson mix their four-seamers, sinkers, and cutters in a way that keeps hitters off-balance enough despite unassuming stuff. They acquired another pitchability type in Aaron Civale last month, and Montas falls into similar territory.

To add Montas to their staff, the Brewers dipped into positions of depth on their 40-man and active rosters, a path that looked increasingly plausible as the deadline approached. Junis was effective as a swingman since returning from the injured list last month. Wiemer got off to a slow start in Triple-A Nashville after debuting a series of swing chances in spring training and slipped down the outfield depth chart in recent months.

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[Jason Wang]

Quote

The Brewers have had success in helping pitchers like Colin Rea and Bryse Wilson mix their four-seamers, sinkers, and cutters in a way that keeps hitters off-balance enough despite unassuming stuff. They acquired another pitchability type in Aaron Civale last month, and Montas falls into similar territory.

Colin Rea: 3.60 ERA - best season of his life in the major leagues.

Bryse Wilson: 3.99 ERA - had a combined 5.46 ERA across 36 starts in 2021 and 2022.

Aaron Civale: 4.29 ERA - too soon to see any major improvements.

Another pitching project for Milwaukee. I feel like going to the Yankees destroyed his mental (as it tends to do with a ton of players to be honest) but hopefully he can get it back with the right guidance. Excited to see where this goes in the final ~50 games of the season.

[Sugarrayray]

These are the kind of lateral moves that aren’t great. Maybe they will work their magic with him, but Junis was doing just fine. They have such a deep farm. You can’t keep every prospect. Sometimes you have to make clear cut positive additions, not lateral ones and HOPE you can turn someone around in a few weeks. So far Civale has been so so. He was their flyer. They don’t need another one.

I mean really, Junis has a great case for being the better of these two players right now….

Very disappointed in their tradeline approach so far.

[Sugarrayray]

Also, they had an entire offseason to work with Rea and Wilson, they have very limited time with this guy.

[BrewersRice]

At first glance, really frustrated with this deal. I would have been frustrated with Montas for Junis straight up, much less giving up Weimer who has just started to have a lot better eye at the plate and just starting to get his power back. Weimer still has considerable upside with I believe 4 years of control.  Lots of people are saying the Brew should be given benefit of the doubt, but I’m doubting the benefit this time.

[Trax]

I don't get it at all.  Montas and Junis are both rentals, but I actually prefer Junis.  We throw away a young developing hitter with tons of time left on his clock.

Just don't get it.