Montas allowed an unearned run on two hits and a walk over four innings in a 12-11 Cactus League win over the Cubs on Wednesday. He struck out five.
Montas' push for the final rotation spot continued in excellent fashion during the relief outing, as he shut down what had been a hot-hitting Cubs squad up to his entry into the game. With his latest dominant performance, Montas lowered his spring ERA to a minuscule 0.69 across 13 innings. The combination of Montas' lack of minor-league options, his strong spring and an established big-league track record seemingly give him a leg up on the job, but manager Bob Melvin is also considering phenom Jesus Luzardo, among others, for the open spot.