Montas in Position to get Opening Night Start for Athletics against Angels
The A’s have set their starting pitching for the two games coming up against the Giants, going with Sean Manaea in Monday’s game in the Coliseum and will go with the combination of Mike Fiers and Chris Bassitt on Tuesday in Oracle Park.
This is big news for Frankie Montas, who could come out of this week as the starting pitcher on opening day.
In making the announcement Wednesday, Melvin didn’t mention Montas name and he said he’d have an official announcement later in the week about the opening day starter on Friday, July 24.
It’s unlikely to be Manaea because that would mean he’d be pitching wit three days’ rest instead of the usual four. It’s even more unlikely that it would be either Fiers or Bassitt, because they’d be going on two day’s rest when the Angels come to the Coliseum for the opener.
That would leave either Montas or A.J. Puk to start the opener, and Puk not only is a rookie, but he’s never started in the big leagues – he was strictly a reliever when he came up last August.
Melvin went out of his way to say that the nothing was concrete.
“It kind of makes no sense to even announce who I’m pitching in that series yet,” he said, “because something could transpire. Things could change leading up (to the opener).”
That being said, A’s hitters, not to mention the coaches and manager, have been raving from the first day they arrived in camp about just how good Montas looks.
Catcher Sean Murphy laughed and said his hands were hurting because of the fire in Montas’ fastball.
“Montas’ first pitch to Marcus Semien was 98 miles per hour,” pitching coach Scott Emerson said. “98 mph right out of the chute against your own teammate. It’s been encouraging to see how well Frankie came back to this.”
During baseball’s lockdown Montas was reasonably active on social media, tweeting at one point that he’d thrown a 100-mph fastball. And when he showed up, he said that he’d thrown enough during the lockdown that he was ready to throw five innings.
Pitchers around baseball, having had just about three weeks to get built up, are going to find five innings a decent accomplishment the first time out.
Montas’ ability to go five or more innings early in a shortened season may have earned him an opening day start.
Follow Athletics insider John Hickey on Twitter: @JHickey3
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