What we learned from A’s win over Orioles in home opener originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
The Athletics kicked off a new era with a bang.
After a 10-day, three-city road trip to begin the 2022 season, Oakland returned home with a respectable 5-5 record after going toe-to-toe with three championship-caliber teams. On Monday night at the Oakland Coliseum, they faced off against the lowly Baltimore Orioles.
The A’s home opener wasn’t a sell-out, nor does it need to be. First-year manager Mark Kotsay stressed the importance of “The A’s Way” prior to the game, which coincidentally, was exactly how Oakland played on Monday night.
Here are three takeaways from the A’s 5-1 win over the Orioles.
Filthy Frankie
The ace of the staff was exactly that against the Orioles. After being roughed up by the Philadelphia Phillies on Opening Day, Montas bounced back against the Tampa Bay Rays on April 13 and carried that momentum into Monday night’s outing.
Montas has allowed just one run in back-to-back starts, recording a win and finishing with a final line of 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 Ks against Baltimore.
With trade rumors continuing to swirl, Montas is pitching as if they don’t exist. He was a bonafide ace throughout much of the second half of the 2021 season and rose to the occasion, providing the rotation with a boost after former starter Chris Bassitt missed time after taking a comebacker to the face.
The difference between last season and this season is that Montas is Oakland’s only…