Tigers vs. Athletics Thursday Game 2 MLB probable pitchers, odds: Frankie Montas enters second half as least profitable pitcher currently in majors

The Detroit Tigers visit the Oakland A's for a rather meaningless doubleheader Thursday, and in Game 2 the A's are starting ace right-hander Frankie Montas in what could be his final start in an Oakland uniform. Montas is widely expected to be dealt by the Aug. 2 Trade Deadline. While he has a very solid 3.26 ERA, Montas has been the biggest money-losing pitcher this year currently active in the majors. Yet the A's are -160 favorites at Caesars Sportsbook.

I have to use the disclaimer "currently in the majors" on Montas because Washington's Joan Adon has been the biggest money loser overall at -$1219 in his 14 games, but Adon has been sent back down to the minors. Despite that 3.26 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP and 100 strikeouts in 96.2 innings, Montas is 3-9 and has been worth -$1078 on the season because the A's don't score for him – he's received an average of just 2.59 runs of support per game.

That means if you wagered $100 on every Montas start in 2022, you would have lost $1078. Oakland is 3-14 in his starts and that number would be much larger but the A's are almost always underdogs, which makes the price for Game 2 a bit surprising. The Tigers are starting rookie Garrett Hill (1-1, 5.73 ERA) opposite Montas, and Hill was shelled for six runs in his most recent outing. Montas has a 2.67 ERA at home but has just a 1-5 record in Oakland.

If Montas leaves this start injured, that could torpedo his trade value as it's the right-hander's first appearance since he left his July 3 start with shoulder inflammation. The A's never put Montas on the injured list. He is set for free agency after next season and rebuilding Oakland isn't re-signing him, so it's better for the A's to trade Montas as soon as possible for the best value.

The Twins, Mets and Cardinals have been linked to Montas. He is probably the No. 2 starting pitching target on the market behind the Reds' Luis Castillo, an All-Star. 

Oakland is 4-1 vs. Detroit this year; the loss was Game 1 of a doubleheader at Comerica Park, 6-0, when the A's actually batted last as the home team (just not enough time to make up a third game in Oakland for the series). Montas started and lost, allowing four runs over 6.1 innings.  

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