NEWSLETTER
At long last, the final major free agent is signing. Jordan Montgomery is going to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
It’s a short-term deal for Montgomery, who never did find a market in the mid-$100 million range he was reportedly seeking earlier in the offseason:
It’ll be very fascinating to see if this deal gets finalized BEFORE Opening Day or after, since the latter would make Montgomery ineligible to receive a Qualifying Offer after the 2024 season if he walks. Heyman adds that the 2025 option vests if Montgomery makes just 10 starts this year, so it’s pretty close to a two-year deal with an opt-out in the middle.
The price tag here is maddeningly modest, and I’ll soon have to dig into whether the Cubs should have been involved at this level (obviously they should have).
Jordan Montgomery, 31, has posted a 3.48 ERA over the last three seasons, and was a key part of the Rangers’ run to the World Series last year. You’d have thought the market for his services would be more robust, but by the time he was (apparently) willing to sign a shorter-term deal, the available dollars were mostly committed. It’ll be another question for agent Scott Boras.
As for the Diamondbacks, the signing makes all the more sense in the wake of Eduardo Rodriguez’s lat injury, though Montgomery fits even after E-Rod’s return. Together with Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, and Brandon Pfaadt, that’s a strong rotation.
