Jordan Montgomery, a left-handed pitcher, is anticipated to be a highly sought-after free agent on the starting pitching market this summer. With the recent seven-year contract extension that the Philadelphia Phillies extended to Aaron Nola, Yamamoto and Snell are now listed ahead of Montgomery on the MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agents list. The teams that are interested in signing the southpaw include the Texas Rangers, who recently won the World Series with Montgomery, the Boston Red Sox, the St. Louis Cardinals, and the New York Yankees.
They are interested in Montgomery in large part because of his outstanding play since joining the Rangers. After being dealt by the Cardinals, he produced an incredible 2.79 ERA and 3.27 FIP in 11 starts. During his tenure with the Rangers, he raised his walk rate to 4.9% and maintained a strong strikeout rate of 21.4%. In addition, Montgomery’s groundball percentage of 43.2% placed them among the top 20 among eligible starts. With a 2.90 ERA through 31 innings in the postseason, he maintained his form.
Montgomery has established himself as a dependable front-end starter over the last three seasons. Making at least 30 starts a season, he has a 3.48 ERA and a 3.62 FIP. Being one of the 20 pitchers to reach 500 innings of work over this time speaks something about his durability.
Montgomery is a desirable option for a number of teams, including the Rangers, given his recent performance and the need for starting pitchers. Max Scherzer, Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gray, Dane Dunning, and Andrew Heaney make up the Rangers’ starting rotation, although in 2023, both Dunning and Heaney saw time in the bullpen. Montgomery is a sensible addition to provide stability, especially because Jacob deGrom is recuperating from Tommy John surgery and Scherzer, Eovaldi, and Gray have all dealt with serious ailments.
Montgomery has been connected to three other teams this offseason, so signing him is not a given, as many clubs need pitching assistance. The bullpen for the Rangers needs work as well; in 2023, it had a 4.77 ERA. While moving Heaney or Dunning to the bullpen with Montgomery would be possible, they would gain even more by adding a late-inning reliever such as Josh Hader or Yuki Matsui.
The Rangers have a track record of adding a number of noteworthy players, but there are questions about their payroll. According to recent reports, Diamond Sports Group may stop airing Rangers games in 2024, which would leave the franchise without a distributor. This might influence their financial choices in the same way as the Twins did when they faced comparable challenges.
In conclusion, the Rangers intend to re-sign Jordan Montgomery, a highly sought-after free agent, following their World Series victory. Although he is a desirable choice due to his consistently excellent play, other teams are also considering him. Before acquiring Montgomery, the Rangers need to take into account their financial circumstances and take care of their bullpen.