Oakland GM Billy Beane says the team sees Montas as a future starter, but he will be used as a reliever this season, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
It's not surprising that the A's want to exercise caution with Montas, who hasn't seen a starter's workload since 2015. The young right-hander has shown intriguing potential this spring, allowing just one run over four innings and reaching the upper-90s with his fastball, but is almost certain to begin the season at Triple-A Nashville. Montas had his 2016 season sidelined by broken ribs, posting a 2.25 ERA over just seven minor league games in the Dodgers' system. He remains a strong possibility for a call-up this summer.