HOUSTON — The prize for going toe to toe with Astros All-Star pitcher Gerrit Cole? A trip to Nashville.
Frankie Montas was optioned to Triple-A Nashville one day after tossing six scoreless innings in Monday’s 2-0 victory over the Astros. The right-hander has been a revelation for the A’s this season, going 5-2 with a 3.35 ERA over eight starts.
But the move was not about Montas’ performance.
Trevor Cahill (strained right Achilles) is likely to be activated from the disabled list and slotted into the starting rotation. With the All-Star break approaching next week, the move allows Montas to get a start at Triple-A and continue on his normal rest before returning to Oakland at some point after the break.