Montas dominant in start

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Frankie Montas, wielding an effective two-seam fastball and no longer bouncing between starting and relief assignments, is turning into the pitcher the A’s envisioned when they acquired him from the Dodgers in the Rich HillJosh Reddick deal in 2016.

Friday, Montas, 25, turned in the best outing of his pro career, working eight scoreless innings in Oakland’s 16-0 rout of the Royals His longest scoreless outing previously: seven scoreless with Double-A Birmingham on June 9, 2015.

“Wow. Just dominant,” catcher Jonathan Lucroy said. “He had 97 in the back pocket, and it’s sinking everywhere. He doesn’t locate perfectly, and it works for him. He’s effectively wild within the strike zone and as a hitter, it’s

tough facing guys like that because you don’t know what to expect, really.”

The two-seamer, a sinker that registers 93-96 mph, plays off Montas’ harder four-seamer, and it helped him get three double-play balls. “I love it,” Lucroy said. “What I like the most is he’s very comfortable throwing it glove side, away from righties and in to a lefty. Being able to control that pitch with that kind of velocity and that kind of movement is hard to do.”

Montas, in two outings with Oakland since coming up Sunday, has allowed one run in 14

innings and won both starts.

“I know both starts I’ve done well, but I can’t let my guard down,” Montas, with Juan Dorado interpreting, said. “I have to keep working, I have to keep doing what I’m doing and trust Lucroy and what he’s doing as well.”

Injury update: Manager Bob Melvin said that Paul Blackburn (forearm) will start at Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday and throw 75 pitches or so; Blackburn could be an option for the A’s within another week or two. In addition, Melvin said left-hander Brett Anderson will play catch Saturday, the first throwing Anderson has done since going on the disabled list with a sore shoulder May 19.

Reliever Santiago Casilla (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session Friday, and lefty Ryan Buchter (shoulder) will throw one Sunday. Casilla could be off the DL in the next week.

Outfielder Boog Powell (shoulder, knee) is going to extended spring training in Arizona and could get some at-bats in the next few days.