Athletics Will Hold Frankie Montas Back to Face Diamondback; Fiers Takes on Giants

While Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Frankie Montas, scratched from Friday's start against the San Francisco Giants, is feeling better, the A's aren't going to hurry him back to pitch Sunday. They want him to throw off a mound once before he returns, hence the delay. Mike Fiers moves into Montas's day.

Frankie Montas won’t pitch against the San Francisco Giants this weekend after all.

Manager Bob Melvin said that Montas, the A’s opening day starter who was scratched from Friday’s start being up neck and shoulder tightness would likely pitch for Oakland against the Diamondbacks next week.

On Saturday Melvin said he was hoping that Montas would be able to go Sunday, but the decision was made to hold off in a case of prudence. Mike Fiers will start instead and will be pitching on regular rest.

“He feels better today,” Melvin said. “I don’t know that tomorrow is a good idea. We’re looking more like Arizona. The fact that we’ve had an off-day (Thursday) means everybody pitches in their normal turn … I think it wouldn’t be the right thing to push him tomorrow.”

The A’s play two games against Arizona in Phoenix Monday and Tuesday to complete the road trip, then both teams head back to the Bay Area for games at the Coliseum Wednesday and Thursday. It will probably be one of those two games in Oakland when the A’s will see Montas’s return.

“I think we probably want to have him throw off a mound (first),” the manager said. “I don’t think he’s going to do that today. I would say Tuesday at the earliest.”

Follow Athletics insider John Hickey on Twitter: @JHickey3

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