Frankie Montas

Frankie Montas Bio

Francelis Montas Luna, known professionally as Frankie Montas, is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher born on March 21, 1993. He is a free agent after most recently playing in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, and has also suited up for the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, and Milwaukee Brewers. Across his MLB career through the 2025 season, Montas has posted a 47–48 win–loss record, a 4.20 earned run average, and 792 strikeouts. He signed as an international free agent with the Boston Red Sox in 2009 and made his major league debut with the White Sox in 2015.

Montas built a reputation as a hard-throwing right-hander whose fastball has been clocked in the high 90s, and he has navigated both breakout seasons and significant injury setbacks throughout his career.

Early Life and Background

Francelis Montas Luna was born on March 21, 1993, in the Dominican Republic, a country that has produced generations of Major League Baseball talent. Growing up in a baseball-rich culture, Montas developed his pitching foundation at a young age and pursued the sport with the goal of reaching the highest professional level.

He attended Dawere International High School, from which he graduated in 2024 while still active in his MLB career, reflecting his commitment to completing his education alongside professional baseball. His Dominican upbringing and the strong local baseball infrastructure played a key role in catching the attention of international scouts.

Path to Baseball

Montas signed with the Boston Red Sox as an international amateur free agent in 2009, receiving a $75,000 signing bonus. He spent his early professional years in the Red Sox minor league system, including stints with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox and the Lowell Spinners in 2012, and with the Greenville Drive in 2013.

Before the 2013 trade deadline, Boston sent Montas, along with J. B. Wendelken and Cleulius Rondon, to the Chicago White Sox as part of a three-team deal. The White Sox assigned him to the Kannapolis Intimidators of the South Atlantic League, and he opened 2014 with the Winston-Salem Dash of the High-A Carolina League. That year he was named to the All-Star Futures Game, although a meniscus injury requiring surgery forced him to withdraw, and he later finished the season at 5–0 with a 1.44 ERA across his minor league stops.

Frankie Montas Career

Early Career (2014–2015)

Montas pitched in the Arizona Fall League after the 2014 season, and the White Sox added him to their 40-man roster on November 20, 2014, to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. During his first major league spring training in 2015, his fastball was recorded between 98 and 100 miles per hour, establishing him as a high-velocity arm in the organization.

Back at Double-A Birmingham in 2015, Montas threw a seven-inning no-hitter on June 9 and appeared in both the Southern League All-Star Game and the All-Star Futures Game. The White Sox promoted him to the majors on July 17, 2015, as the 26th man for a doubleheader, though he returned to Birmingham without appearing. He was recalled again on September 1 and made his MLB debut the next day as a relief pitcher.

Los Angeles Dodgers (2016)

On December 16, 2015, the White Sox traded Montas, Micah Johnson, and Trayce Thompson to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-team deal. The Dodgers announced on February 12, 2016, that Montas had undergone rib resection surgery and would miss up to four months of the season.

He returned to action with the Tulsa Drillers of the Double-A Texas League on May 22, 2016, before being assigned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers. Montas later aggravated his rib and was diagnosed with a broken rib, costing him additional time as he worked his way back to health.

Oakland Athletics (2016–2022)

On August 1, 2016, the Dodgers traded Montas, Jharel Cotton, and Grant Holmes to the Oakland Athletics for Josh Reddick and Rich Hill. After spending the remainder of 2016 in the minors, Montas appeared in 23 games for the A’s in 2017, going 1–1 with a 7.03 ERA in 32 innings, and he returned to a starting role in 2018, going 5–4 with a 3.88 ERA across 13 games and 11 starts.

The 2019 season marked his arrival as a frontline starter. Montas opened 9–2 with a 2.70 ERA in 15 starts before receiving an 80-game suspension on June 21, 2019, for testing positive for ostarine in violation of MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. He was Oakland’s Opening Day starter in 2020 but struggled to a 3–5 record and a 5.60 ERA. In 2021, Montas finished 13–9 with a 3.37 ERA and 207 strikeouts over 187 innings, placing sixth in American League Cy Young Award voting, and he signed a $5.025 million contract with the A’s on March 22, 2022.

New York Yankees (2022–2023)

On August 1, 2022, the Athletics traded Montas and Lou Trivino to the New York Yankees for JP Sears, Ken Waldichuk, Luis Medina, and Cooper Bowman. He made his first Yankees start on August 7 and, over eight starts with New York, posted a 1–3 record with a 6.35 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 39⅔ innings.

In January 2023, the Yankees announced Montas would likely miss the first month of the season with right shoulder inflammation, and on February 15 he was announced to require arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder that would cost him the majority of the year. He was activated from the injured list on September 30, 2023, and became a free agent after the season.

Cincinnati Reds (2024)

On January 2, 2024, Montas signed a one-year, $14 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds that also included a $20 million mutual option for 2025. Reds manager David Bell announced that Montas would start for Cincinnati on Opening Day, and he went 4–8 with a 5.01 ERA across 19 starts before being traded.

Milwaukee Brewers (2024)

On July 30, 2024, the Reds traded Montas to the Milwaukee Brewers for Jakob Junis, Joey Wiemer, and cash considerations. In 11 starts with Milwaukee, he posted a 3–3 record and a 4.55 ERA with 70 strikeouts over 57⅓ innings. On November 4, 2024, Montas declined his option for 2025 and became a free agent.

New York Mets (2025)

On December 4, 2024, Montas signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the New York Mets that included an opt-out after the 2025 season. His Mets tenure was immediately disrupted when, on February 17, 2025, the team announced he had suffered a high-grade lat strain and would be shut down for six to eight weeks. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on May 1 before being activated on June 24 to make his season debut.

After struggling to a 6.38 ERA across eight games and seven starts, manager Carlos Mendoza announced on August 12, 2025, that Montas would move to the bullpen. On August 23, the team announced he would miss the remainder of the season with what was described as a significant ulnar collateral ligament injury, and on August 28 the Mets said he would require UCL surgery, very likely a full Tommy John procedure. On November 4, 2025, Montas exercised his player option for 2026, but the Mets designated him for assignment on November 18 and released him the same day, returning him to free agency.

Driving Style and Strengths

Montas is recognized for a power-pitching profile built around a high-velocity fastball that has reached the upper 90s, complemented by a breaking ball and a developing changeup. He has shown his best results when working as a starter who can attack hitters early in counts, and his durability was a major factor in his 2021 Cy Young-caliber season with the A’s.

Notable Events and Milestones

Among his career milestones, Montas threw a seven-inning no-hitter for Double-A Birmingham on June 9, 2015, was named to multiple All-Star Futures Games, and finished sixth in the 2021 American League Cy Young Award voting. He has also navigated high-profile suspensions, trades, and major surgeries, including a Tommy John procedure following the 2025 season.

Frankie Montas Career Wins

Through the 2025 season, Montas has accumulated 47 MLB wins across stints with six franchises. His most productive stretch came with the Oakland Athletics, where he posted double-digit win totals, and his career has been punctuated by both dominant seasons and prolonged injury absences.

Oakland Athletics Highlights

Montas went 13–9 with a 3.37 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 187 innings for the A’s in 2021, his first and only 13-win MLB season to date. He was the A’s Opening Day starter in 2020 and earned a reputation as a frontline arm before his midseason 2022 trade to the Yankees.

Other Wins and Performances

Montas combined for a 7–11 record across 30 starts split between the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers in 2024. His eight games with the Mets in 2025 came entirely before his UCL injury forced him out for the rest of the season.

Frankie Montas Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Montas was raised in the Dominican Republic in a baseball-oriented culture that has produced many major league stars. Specific details about his parents and siblings are not publicly verified in available sources.

Personal Life

Montas is married to his wife, Nicholette, and the couple had two children as of 2021. He completed his high school education at Dawere International High School in 2024.

2025 Season Performance

Montas entered 2025 as a member of the New York Mets following his two-year, $34 million December 2024 deal, but a high-grade lat strain diagnosed in February wiped out the start of his season. He did not make his Mets debut until June 24 and struggled to a 6.38 ERA across eight games and seven starts before being moved to the bullpen in mid-August.

His campaign ended on August 23, when the Mets announced he would miss the remainder of the season with a significant ulnar collateral ligament injury that ultimately required Tommy John surgery. The injury and his uneven performance defined a difficult first year in Queens.

On November 4, 2025, Montas exercised his player option for the 2026 season, but the Mets designated him for assignment on November 18 and released him the same day, returning him to free agency as he works back from UCL reconstruction.