LOS ANGELES — Frankie Montas has taken the first step toward a possible late-season return to the Yankees, though he still faces a long road ahead.
Montas began a throwing program on Tuesday, pitching coach Matt Blake said, after being shut down for 14 weeks following the arthroscopic shoulder surgery he underwent early in spring training.
The right-hander, who is set to become a free agent after this year, had his labrum cleaned up during the Feb. 21 surgery, at which point the Yankees left the door open for Montas to return at some point late this season.
That appears to still be possible, but Montas still has a lengthy rehab process in front of him.
Typically for pitchers, the time down is equal to the time needed for a proper build-up, which for Montas would project out to the first week of September.
“He’ll be a fresh start,” Blake said on Wednesday in Seattle. “And obviously it’s a shoulder surgery, so it’s a little bit different. There’s going to be some checking in with him to see how he’s progressing in the early stages, making sure everything is structurally sound. So that one will be a little more delicate, just because of the nature of a shoulder surgery.
“But good to see him at least start throwing. He said he feels good in his rehab.”
Without Montas and Carlos Rodon, who is getting close to facing live hitters in his own rehab process from a forearm muscle strain and back discomfort, the Yankees have filled their rotation spots with Domingo German and Clarke Schmidt.
The Yankees acquired Montas at last year’s trade deadline from the Athletics, at which point his shoulder was not 100 percent healthy, Montas revealed after the surgery.
He also said in March he would “for sure be back this season.”
