Montas has surgery, could return in second half

Frankie Montas won’t start throwing until at least late May following right shoulder surgery, a timetable that could allow him to pitch for the Yankees in the season’s second half.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday the labrum of the 29-yearold right-hander was cleaned up during the procedure a day earlier with Los Angeles

Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache and Montas’ rotator cuff did not need to be repaired. Montas won’t throw for 12 weeks.

“Everything went according to plan,” Boone said. “We’re day one out of surgery, so we have a long way to go from there. We’re hopeful at some point he can get back but I don’t want to best case, worst case.”

Montas was acquired from Oakland on

Aug 1. and went 1-3 with a 6.35 ERA in eight starts with the Yankees. He didn’t pitch after Sept. 16 due to inflammation in his pitching shoulder.

Montas left a July 3 start at Seattle after 13 pitches with shoulder tightness. He returned July 21 and had a 2.25 ERA in starts against Detroit and Houston.

New York left-hander Nestor Cortes has thrown twice off a mound since being sidelined by a strained right hamstring and is nearing his first simulated game.

Minor league catcher Ben Rortvedt had surgery Wednesday for an aneurysm of the posterior artery near his left shoulder. He had been experiencing what turned out to be a circulation problem with a finger and will not take part in baseball activities for a month.

“Then hopefully he’ll be able to start ramping up at that point,” Boone said. “Everything went well.”