MLB Rumors: Top Trade Candidate Gets Injury Update

One of the biggest names at the upcoming trade deadline is expected to be Oakland Athletics' right-hander Frankie Montas. But he's only pitched one inning since June 28th. And that one inning left him with shoulder inflammation that's put his trade status in question. 

But A's manager Mark Kotsay tells us that Montas has improved considerably since getting a cortisone shot in the shoulder, and that things went "really well" during a bullpen session on the weekend. 

Frankie Montas responded “really well” to yesterday’s bullpen, still a possibility to start one of the DH games Thursday after the break, Kotsay said. A’s will likely call up a starter as the 27th man to start the other game vs. Detroit.

— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 17, 2022

In fact, he could very well start on Thursdsay, coming out of the All-Star break, which, with two starts before the trade deadline Aug. 2nd, could put him back at the top of teams' radars. 

The St. Louis Cardinals have been linked to Montas, along with several other contenders.

Montas has a 3.26 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and a 100:24 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

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