The Milwaukee Brewers are acquiring starter Frankie Montas from the Cincinnati Reds for outfielder Joey Wiemer and right-handed pitcher Jakob Junis, sources told ESPN on Monday night.
Montas, 31, was an important free agent signing for the Reds last winter, agreeing to one-year, $16 million deal. But Cincinnati has pivoted from a contending team in March to one looking to move a pending free agent before the deadline.
The Reds have languished below .500 for most of the season, making Montas expendable. He also hasn’t had the best of seasons, going 4-8 with a 5.01 ERA in 19 starts.
“This is probably the toughest time that I’ve had leaving a clubhouse, to be honest,” Montas said upon learning of the trade following Cincinnati’s 7-1 win over the Cubs on Monday. “I’ve been traded many times, but the relationships I’ve created here, it’s definitely tough.”
The Brewers, who have seen a league-high 16 different pitchers start a game for them, have been on the lookout for pitching.
The team recently acquired starter Aaron Civale from Tampa Bay and had interest in White Sox starter Erick Fedde, according to league sources, before he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals earlier Monday.
Wiemer has appeared in 19 games this season for Milwaukee, while Junis is 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA in 10 games.
The Reds have not yet announced a starter to take the spot of Montas, who was scheduled to face the Cubs on Tuesday.
