Yankees' Montas has surgery on shoulder
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 New York Yankees in the season's second half.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday the labrum of the 29-year-old 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 the A's 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 and returned July 21.
He was coming off a careerhigh 13 wins for the A's in 2021. PHILLIES PROSPECT OUT OF NAVY, REPORTING TO CAMP >> The Philadelphia Phillies say Noah Song was discharged from the Navy and the pitching prospect is expected to arrive at the team's spring training camp today.
Song, a 25-year-old aviator and Southern California native, was taken by the Phillies in the winter meetings draft in December with hopes he would play after military service.
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound righthander was picked from the Boston Red Sox system in the draft for unprotected minor league players. Philadelphia put him on the military list while he continued active duty.
The Red Sox drafted Song in the fourth round in 2019 — he likely would've gone much higher, but his impending military service caused teams to back off.
Song impressed in his only pro season, making seven starts for Boston's Class A Lowell affiliate in 2019, with a 1.06 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 17 innings. With a fastball clocked in the upper 90s mph, the right-hander dominated that year as a senior at the U.S. Naval Academy, going 11-1 with a 1.44 ERA and 161 strikeouts in 94 innings. He finished as Navy's career leader in wins (32), strikeouts (428) and innings pitched (334-1/3).
In November 2019, Defense Secretary Mark Esper signed a memo clearing the way for athletes at military academies to delay service commitments and play pro sports after graduation. Song's request to have those rules retroactively applied to him was denied.
Song began school as a flight officer in the summer of 2020 and finished that phase last April. He started additional aviation training the next month.
ASTROS' MCCULLERS JR. OUT FOR START OF SEASON >> Houston Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. says he will miss opening day for the World Series champions because of a strained muscle in his pitching arm.
McCullers, sidelined for the first 41/2 months of last season while rehabbing from a right flexor pronator strain, noticed soreness after a bullpen session last week.
He had an MRI on Tuesday night which showed no structural damage to his elbow but will delay his start.
“I've been a little bit upset,” the 29-year-old said. “I was really looking forward to a great start to the camp and a great start to the season.
“It will set me back a little bit, but it shouldn't be anything like last year. It should be something where hopefully I'm playing catch in s couple weeks.”
Being ready for opening day, he said, “is out of the question.”
McCullers, who is 49-32 in seven big league seasons, missed the 2020 season following Tommy John surgery and went 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA in 2021, then was injured in the postseason.
He had signed an $85 million, five-year contract before the 2021 season. McCullers made eight starts from Aug. 13 on last year and was 0-1 in three postseason outings.