By Morris Phillips
OAKLAND — If anything, some revision is needed: the A’s starting rotation isn’t a question mark, it’s a work in progress.
The progress part was in grand display over the weekend, as the A’s took three of four from the Angels, getting outstanding starts in each game, capped by Frankie Montas’ outing that highlighted a 2-1 victory on Sunday.
Montas hit 96 mph and above on his first eight pitches thrown, and allowed just one run in the sixth inning, as the A’s dominated a close game with power pitching, capped off with three innings of flawless relief. Incredibly, Montas was the only A’s starter to allow a run in the first six innings of a game in the series, a stat that wipes out any notion that the Oakland rotation is struggling. In fact, the rotation–at least at this early date in the season–appears just fine, and could be headlined by a career-defining season for No. 4 starter Montas.
“I don’t think you ever envision, this early in the season, four guys going out and giving you results like that,” manager Bob Melvin said, emphasizing the fact that the A’s spring training was truncated, and disjointed, limiting the rhythm and progress of Mike Fiers, Marco Estrada, Brett Anderson, Montas and Aaron Brooks, who makes his initial start Monday night.
Fiers and Estrada didn’t last long in their starts in Japan, as the team lost both games. But both rebounded: Fiers allowed one hit in six innings on Thursday, and Estrada two hits in six innings on Friday. Anderson was only slightly less impressive Saturday, allowing a double to Mike Trout, two singles and two walks.
But Montas–with his superior velocity and expanded repertoire–carries the buzz. The reliever turned starter posted the lowest ERA (0.56) in Major League Baseball during spring training, striking out 16 in 16 innings of work over five appearances. On Sunday, 32 of his 77 total pitches were between 96 and 98 mph. Montas has always brought the heat, but now he has the pitch command and a third weapon–a splitter–to complete the mix.
“The splitter has made a big difference,” Montas explained. “Now I have three plus-pitches and hitters can’t just worry about the fastball and slider. They have to worry about another pitch.”
Montas isn’t beyond missing a pitch, but those occassions are fewer and further between, as Kole Calhoun became the first hitter to take Montas deep in 2019 with his ridiculously-launched, 440-foot shot in the sixth. Previously, those missed pitches would bunch up, keeping the hard throwing, right-hander from establishing himself. But a new pattern has emerged: Montas is retiring hitters with regularity.
Khris Davis hit his fourth home run in six games to give the A’s a 1-0 lead in the fourth. With two outs in the fifth, Marcus Semien doubled and Matt Chapman singled to put the A’s up 2-0.
Lou Trivino retired three, consecutive hitters in the seventh to pick up Montas, who allowed a leadoff double to Justin Bour. Joakim Soria needed just 11 pitches to get through the eighth, and Blake Treinen closed the door in the ninth.
“We didn’t have a great offensive day but it felt like we had a great team day,” Semien said. “Frankie was throwing really hard and our bullpen did what they do.”
The A’s host a second, consecutive four-game set against the World Champion Red Sox starting Monday night. Familiar face and arm, David Price will be on the mound for Boston.
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