OAKLAND — Athletics' right-hander Frankie Montas was scheduled to get a cortisone injection in his right shoulder Wednesday afternoon and will miss his scheduled start this weekend against the Houston Astros.
As for the broader question of whether Montas can pitch before the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 2, there were no answers as the Athletics looked to sweep the Toronto Blue Jays at the Coliseum.
Montas was removed from his previous start Sunday after one inning in 2-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners as his velocity had dipped into the low 90s and he reported some stiffness after giving up a leadoff home run to Julio Rodriguez. Montas ended up getting the loss, dropping his record to 3-9 but with a solid 3.26 earned run average.
"Frankie will not make his next start Saturday," A's manager Mark Kotsay said. "We're still in the process of determining which direction we want to go."
Kotsay referred all questions about Montas' health to trainer Nick Paparesta.
"Frankie had an MRI done. He has some inflammation in his shoulder," Paparesta said. "Saw Dr. (William) Workman, our local orthopedic surgeon. He's going to get to his office this afternoon and get a cortisone injecetion and then we'll play it out as the days go along and see where we're at."
Paparesta said there was no "best-case scenario" with regard to how soon Montas could be available after a cortisone shot, couldn't say whether he could pitch before the All-Star break (July 19) and that there were no structural issues with the shoulder.
"Everything looked great with the rotator cuff and labrum," Paparesta said.
As for any soreness or pain from the injection itself, Paparesta said that shouldn't be an issue.
"A cortisone injection is basically to attack the inflammation and help put the inflammation out," Paparesta said. "Think of it like a fire hose and you've got the fire in front of you. It kind of gets the whole space and kind of cools the area down."
Montas, in spite of his won-loss record, was expected to be a hot commodity among contending teams looking for a power arm at the trade deadline and re-establishing his velocity on the field before Aug. 2 would factor into whether teams would trade for him at all as well as how much the A's could get in return.
Montas talked with teammates in the clubhouse before the game, and joined his fellow pitchers on the field for a game of hacky-sack. He did not pick up or throw a baseball.
NOTABLE
— Infielder Jonah Bride is taking some swings in the cage but not yet throwing with a right shoulder strain. Both he and designated hitter Jed Lowrie also had cortisone shots and are on the injured list. Paparesta said Bride is about a week ahead of Lowrie in terms of recovery.
— Pitcher Rick Honeywell (elbow) is throwing off flat ground and the hope is to get him on the mound before the All-Star break.
— Relief pitcher Dany Jiminez is throwing 90 feet in long toss workouts and will look to stretch out that distance before a timeline can be formulated for his return, Paparesta said.
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