Report: Yankees Scouting Multiple Starting Pitchers From Athletics Ahead of Trade Deadline
NEW YORK — Frankie Montas isn't the only starting pitcher from the A's that the Yankees are eyeing ahead of next week's trade deadline.
With Oakland in Chicago to play the White Sox this weekend, New York is sending a scout to watch both Montas and Paul Blackburn per Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. Blackburn is scheduled to start against the Sox on Saturday. Montas would be in line to pitch on Sunday if he sticks to his five-day routine (he last pitched on Tuesday, earning a win over Houston).
Montas has been a big name in trade rumors ever since this spring, repeatedly linked to the Yankees. He's pitched to a 3.18 ERA in 19 starts for Oakland this year, striking out 109 batters in 104.2 innings. The 29-year-old is one of the last star players on that roster that hasn't been traded yet.
Meanwhile, Blackburn made the All-Star Game this year, posting a 4.35 ERA in 15 outings (101.1 innings). The right-hander hasn't hit arbitration yet, a 28-year-old with three more seasons of team control. Montas is set to hit free agency in 2024, after next season.
Blackburn doesn't throw hard, but he leans heavily on a sinker. Like Clay Holmes and his sinker, after he was acquired by New York last summer, could the Yankees help Blackburn blossom and get the most out of that pitch? The right-hander is best at avoiding barrels (5.5% barrel rate) while he needs some work in the swing-and-miss and chase departments (24% whiff rate and 26.2% chase rate this season).
Some Yankees fans will recall that Blackburn started against New York in the Bronx last month, throwing five innings and allowing three runs (with two homers) in a 9-5 loss. Montas also pitched in that series against the Yankees, tossing six innings of two-run ball with seven strikeouts and four hits allowed.
Blackburn would certainly be cheaper to acquire than Montas. Montas comes with a higher cost, but he also brings a higher ceiling, an ace-caliber arm that has electric stuff.
Oakland is in a position to reap the benefits of the Luis Castillo trade. The Mariners sent a huge package of prospects for Castillo, establishing the standard for starting pitching ahead of Tuesday's deadline.
New York needs reinforcements in their rotation down the stretch, helping out in a starting staff littered with question marks after a dominant first half of the season. The Yankees would benefit from the addition of an arm or two for the bullpen as well.
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