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Frankie Montas and Cincinnati Reds finalize $16 million, 1-year contract

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FILE -New York Yankees starting pitcher Frankie Montas throws to a Tampa Bay Rays batter during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 4, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Frankie Montas and the Cincinnati Reds have agreed to a $16 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Scott Audette, File)
 
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CINCINNATI (AP) — The Reds finalized their $16 million, one-year contract with right-hander Frankie Montas on Tuesday, another free-agent addition to shore up their pitching staff.

Montas gets $14 million this year, and the deal includes a $20 million mutual option for 2025 and a $2 million buyout.

Montas was acquired by the Yankees from Oakland with reliever Lou Trivino on Aug. 1, 2022, for four prospects. Montas went 1-3 with a 6.35 ERA in eight starts with New York that year, later admitting he wasn’t healthy.

He had labrum surgery last Feb. 21 and made his only big league appearance of the year on Sept. 30.

The 30-year-old Montas is 37-35 with a 3.90 ERA in 99 starts and 31 relief appearances for the Chicago White Sox (2015), Oakland (2017-22) and the Yankees.

“We are excited to add a pitcher of Frankie’s caliber to our staff,” Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said. “We are confident he will return to the form that made him one of baseball’s best pitchers before he suffered the shoulder injury.”

In his best season in 2021. Montas went 13-9 with a 3.37 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 187 innings.

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He is expected to join a rotation mix that includes last season’s top three starters Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft.

Cincinnati previously signed a pair of free agent pitcher, giving Nick Martinez a $24 million, two-year contract and Emilio Pagán a $16 million, two-year deal. The Reds re-signed Buck Farmer with a $2.25 million, a one-year contract and gave third baseman Jeimer Candelario a $45 million, three-year contract.

To make room on the roster for Montas, the Reds designated catcher Austin Wynns for assignment.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports