Cincinnati Reds Sign Frankie Montas in $16 Million Deal

The Reds' offseason spending reaches the fifth-highest in the sport, with no more major moves expected.

Frankie Montas, a 30-year-old right-hander, has been signed by the Cincinnati Reds for a one-year contract worth $16 million, with a $20 million mutual option for 2025 and a $2 million buyout.
Montas had labrum surgery in February 2023 and made only one big league appearance that year. He is expected to join a rotation mix that includes last season’s top three starters Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft.
Cincinnati Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall has handed out $105.25 million in free-agent contracts this offseason, the fifth-highest total in the sport.
Despite the spending, the Reds' payroll could be around $90 million when arbitration cases are settled, up from the Opening Day payroll of nearly $83 million in 2023.
Nick Krall said he doesn't expect any more major moves this offseason, and a trade of Jonathan India, the 2021 National League rookie of the year, would seem to fall into that category.