The Cincinnati Reds signed free agent right-hander Frankie Montas to a one-year contract on Tuesday after he passed a physical.
The contract is reported to be valued at $14 million for this season, with a $20 million mutual option for 2025, including a $2 million buyout. The agreement was originally reported Saturday.
In a corresponding move, the Reds designed catcher Austin Wynns for assignment.
Montas, 30, made just one appearance last season with the New York Yankees after undergoing surgery on the labrum in his pitching shoulder in February. He eventually made it back to the team, pitching 1 1/3 innings of relief in the Yankees’ 161st game last season.
In his last full season with the Oakland Athletics in 2021, Montas led American League pitchers in games started (32). He went 13-9 with a 3.37 ERA, 57 walks and 207 strikeouts in 187.0 innings.
For his career, Montas has a 37-35 record with a 3.90 ERA in 130 games (99 starts) for the Chicago White Sox (2015), A’s (2017-22) and Yankees (2022-23).
The Reds have spent a reported $105.25 million on free-agent contracts this offseason, including Montas, reliever Emilio Pagan, potential starter Nick Martinez and infielder Jeimer Candelario as well as the return of reliever Buck Farmer.
Wynns, 33, played in a combined 51 games in 2023 for the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies, and batted .208 (27-for-130). He signed as a free agent with the Reds on Dec. 14.
–Field Level Media
