The Oakland Athletics pitcher Frankie Montas has reportedly been suspended eighty games for the use of performance-enhancing substances (PED) this season. Montas is having an amazing breakout season this year for the Athletics. Jeff Passan of ESPN reported the initial news of his suspension.
Oakland A’s starter Frankie Montas has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for a banned substance, sources tell ESPN. This had been a breakout season for Montas, who is 9-2 with 2.70 ERA and 97 Ks vs. just 21 walks in 90 innings.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 21, 2019
MLB has announced the 80-game suspension of Oakland right-hander Frankie Montas. While sources said he made a compelling argument the banned substance he took was not to enhance pitching performance, Montas accepted the suspension without appealing it.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 21, 2019
Through eleven starts in 2019, Montas is having the best statistical year of his young career. Montas sports a 9-2 record with a 2.70 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and ninety-seven punch outs through ninety innings through his eleven starts in 2019. Montas is truly coming into his own and this puts a damper on his breakout season.
Montas has accepted the suspension rather than trying to appeal it as others have in the past. He did plead that the substance used was not a PED, but the league still decided to suspend him. The Athletics are a small market team just like the Rays who recently received the league’s permission to possibly become a two-city team.
Being a small-market team worked out great for the Athletics last year, reaching the American League Wildcard game where they lost to the New York Yankees. The Athletics losing Montas does hurt a pitching staff who does not have that “jump-out” at you ace pitcher.
