Assessing Montas’ more frequent use of splitter this year
SEATTLE — Frankie Montas is throwing his splitter more than ever this season. But that doesn’t mean the Oakland Athletics’ right-hander now considers perhaps his nastiest pitch his primary one.
Montas started throwing a splitter in 2019. It was his leastused pitch for two seasons. Montas deployed it 22.4% of the time last year. In his first nine starts this season, he threw 28.1% splitters — more than his four-seam fastball (26.5%) or sinker (21%).
A’s pitching coach Scott Emerson offered an explanation Wednesday: “I think the biggest (reason) is he’s still building his fastball velocity.”
Montas averaged 96.2 mph on his four-seamer and 95.7 mph on his sinker in April, per Brooks Baseball. That is formidable, but also marked Montas’ lowest averages in a month since August 2020 — the opening month of the pandemicdelayed season, which followed a short summer training camp.
Pitchers also had less time to build up this spring after the lockout. In Montas’ most recent full start against the Angels — not counting his outing Saturday when he exited after six batters because a line drive hit his hand — his four-seamer and sinker were both a half mph above their season average, per Statcast.
Montas threw 36% fourseamers and 24% splitters in that outing against the Angels. He finished seven of his season-high 12 strikeouts on fastballs.
“Usually in the middle of May, you’re going to see guys’ fastballs jump a little bit,” Emerson said. “And I think he noticed and finally said, ‘All right, my fastball’s where I want it to be velocity-wise and I’m going to throw it a little bit more.’
“Then the 12 strikeouts show up, because now they’ve got to respect everything.”
Seeing Montas’ splitter more has not helped hitters beat it. Opponents are 7-for-64 against the pitch this season, with 21 strikeouts.
Notably, the pitch’s 28.5% whiff rate is down a lot from last year (51.4%). Montas has generated a higher whiff rate on both his four-seamer (27.6%) and slider (45.8%).
“I mean, I still throw it no matter what,” Montas said of the splitter. “I feel like if I get guys worried about my splitter, that will make my fastball better.
“It’s a pitch that, even if you’re waiting on it or sitting on it, you’ve still got to try to battle to hit it.”
A lower whiff rate could reflect hitters being warier of Montas’ splitter, but they still must contend with his fastball, which ranks in the top 20 in average velocity among qualified right-handers.
“I look at (the splitter) as a secondary pitch,” Montas said. “I think my fastball is my best pitch.”
Briefly: Montas is scheduled to start Thursday’s series opener against the Rangers, saying in recent days he had no lingering effects from the liner off his hand in Anaheim. … Stephen Vogt (knee) could go on a minor-league rehab assignment this weekend, manager Mark Kotsay said. … Stephen Piscotty (calf ) “continues to make progress,” but the A’s have not decided whether he will need a rehab assignment before he is activated, Kotsay said.