The Cincinnati Reds added a veteran pitcher on Saturday, agreeing to terms with righty Frankie Montas on a one-year, $16 million contract.
The deal was finalized Tuesday.
Montas, 30, missed almost all of last season for the Yankees after undergoing shoulder surgery in February. He was acquired by New York midseason in 2022 but struggled over eight starts in the final two months of that year, compiling a 6.35 ERA.
"We are excited to add a pitcher of Frankie's caliber to our staff," Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said. "We are confident he will return to the form that made him one of baseball's best pitchers before he suffered the shoulder injury."
The bulk of his career was spent in Oakland where he had his best season in 2021, going 13-9 with a 3.37 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 187 innings over 32 starts. The eight-year veteran has a career 37-35 record with a 3.90 ERA.
Montas made one appearance in the final weekend of the 2023 season after recovering from his shoulder ailment. It showed teams he was healthy leading into free agency.
He is expected to join a rotation mix that includes last season's top three starters Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft. With a very young pitching staff, Cincinnati ranked 25th in ERA last season.
The Reds already added veterans Emilio Pagan and Nick Martinez this offseason as they attempt to take another step in their team's development.
To make room on the roster for Montas, the Reds designated catcher Austin Wynns for assignment.
Cincinnati is likely to be one of the favorites to win the NL Central utilizing a young core of both position players and pitchers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.