This club is viewed as Montgomery’s ‘first choice’

January 4th, 2024

Jordan Montgomery is now a free agent. MLB.com is keeping track of the latest news and rumors surrounding the left-handed starting pitcher.

Jan. 4: Rangers viewed as Montgomery’s ‘first choice’
As one of the best starting pitchers left on the free-agent market, Montgomery is appealing to a lot of teams; perhaps at least six clubs are vying for him.

But the left-hander may hold one team in higher regard than the rest: the Texas Rangers.

Although the Yankees have been connected to the left-hander with whom they spent six seasons prior to a 2022 trade to St. Louis, a source with knowledge of the Yankees’ thinking told NJ.com’s Randy Miller that Texas is considered Montgomery’s “first choice.”

“He loves Texas,” the source said of Montgomery. “That’s really where he wants to go.”

MLB Network insider Jon Heyman said during a Wednesday live chat on Bleacher Report that he believes the Rangers “are the mostly likely team” for the pitcher. Montgomery, who turned 31 last week, was instrumental in the Rangers’ journey to their first World Series title in 2023. He posted a 2.79 ERA over 67 2/3 innings during the regular season with Texas before turning in multiple strong outings in the postseason.

Heyman previously reported that the uncertainty surrounding the Rangers’ TV rights deal might preclude them from making a top-shelf addition this winter. However, he now thinks that situation will be resolved “somewhat soon,” thereby giving the Rangers the financial flexibility to bring in a high-priced free agent.

Speaking of price, Miller reports that Montgomery and his agent, Scott Boras, are looking to land a deal larger than the six-year, $162 million pact that left-hander Carlos Rodón received from the Yankees prior to last season.

Dec. 29: Six clubs reportedly in the mix for Montgomery
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell might be seen as the best starting pitcher left on the free-agent market, but it appears more teams are interested in Montgomery.

On Friday’s episode of High Heat, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman listed six clubs that are vying for the 2023 World Series champion. He put the Giants and Angels — two teams also interested in Snell — at the top of that list before expanding.

“The Yankees would like him back. I think the Mets certainly are in play. Red Sox, in play. I’m not going to count out the Phillies,” Heyman said.

The Rangers, the team Montgomery helped lift to a championship last season, have been previously linked to him. However, Heyman wrote in the New York Post that the uncertainty related to the club’s TV rights deal “may have put big expenditures on hold for now.”

Dec. 22: With Yamamoto off the board, where will Montgomery land?
The Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes reached a conclusion late Thursday night, with the prized Japanese ace reaching a 12-year, $325 million deal with the Dodgers (per a source). Now, the focus turns to some of the other top names still on the board, including Montgomery.

Due to his age and upside, Yamamoto drew interest from a long list of clubs, some of which aren’t expected to be in the mix for fallback options such as Blake Snell and Montgomery.

That said, it stands to reason that Montgomery could be a fit for at least a few of the teams that didn’t end up with Yamamoto.

The Red Sox are perhaps at the top of that list. New chief baseball officer Craig Breslow made it clear at the Winter Meetings that the team was going all out in search of pitching. However, with much of its attention on Yamamoto to this point, Boston hasn’t added to its rotation yet. The Red Sox reportedly talked to Montgomery’s agent back in November. Coincidentally, Montgomery has been residing in Boston, having moved there to be with his wife, who recently started a residency at an area hospital, according to a report from MassLive.com.

Montgomery could be an option for the Yankees, with whom he played until being traded to the Cardinals in 2022. According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (subscription required), New York has internally discussed a reunion with Montgomery this offseason, though it is unclear if the team has been in touch with the southpaw’s representatives at any point.

The Giants were in on Shohei Ohtani and Yamamoto but weren’t able to land either one. San Francisco did sign center fielder Jung Hoo Lee out of Korea, but the team still needs rotation help.

The Cubs, Angels and incumbent Rangers would make sense for Montgomery as well, to name a few clubs that weren’t among the seven involved in the Yamamoto bidding this week.

Dec. 10: Are Rangers moving on without Montgomery?
The Rangers have been considered a top contender for Montgomery in free agency throughout this offseason. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported as such as recently as Dec. 4 in an article for the New York Post.

However, Montgomery’s price tag could prove to be too lofty for a Texas club reportedly dealing with some uncertainty related to its TV rights deal, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (subscription required) reported something similar on Friday, writing that the Rangers now seem unlikely to bring back Montgomery.

The expectation among MLB executives is that Montgomery will land a deal in the range of Patrick Corbin’s six-year, $140 million contract with the Nationals, ESPN’s Jeff Passan (subscription required) reported on Dec. 1. However, it’s possible he’s looking for even more after Aaron Nola signed a seven-year, $172 million deal with the Phillies earlier this offseason. Montgomery had a much better 2023 season than Nola did and has posted a 3.48 ERA over 94 starts since the beginning of 2021, compared to Nola’s 4.09 ERA over 96 starts in that span.

Dec. 4: Rangers ‘seen as the favorite’ for Montgomery (report)
The Texas Rangers appear to be the favorites to bring back Montgomery, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported Monday in the New York Post. But the left-hander continues to receive interest from several contending teams.

The Mets have shown interest in Montgomery, who was a Trade Deadline acquisition by the Rangers from the Cardinals in 2023 and helped to lead Texas to its first World Series title.

Montgomery debuted with the Yankees in 2017 and pitched in pinstripes until a midseason trade to St. Louis in 2022, and the Bronx Bombers have been linked to Montgomery as well. So have the Yanks’ AL East rivals, the Red Sox.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan (subscription required) reported Friday that Montgomery’s chances of returning to the Rangers might be growing with the club bowing out of the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes to focus on other targets.

The six-year, $140 million deal Patrick Corbin signed with the Nationals after the 2018 season is one some executives are looking to as a “reasonable landing spot” for Montgomery this offseason, according to Passan. Such a deal would put Texas above the Competitive Balance Tax threshold for the second straight season. Including projected salaries for arbitration-eligible players, Cot’s Baseball Contracts estimates the Rangers are currently between $10 million and $11 million below the $237 million tax line.

Nov. 30: Will the Mets pursue Montgomery?
The Mets, who are prioritizing upgrades to their starting rotation, are reportedly considered the favorites to sign superstar Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Even if that happens, New York would still look to add more big-name pitching talent and could go after Montgomery.

Per SNY’s Andy Martino, Montgomery “is a more likely high-end target” for the Mets compared to the other two premier left-handed starters on the market: Blake Snell and Eduardo Rodriguez. This report comes one day after the Mets agreed to a one-year deal with another former Yankee, Luis Severino, per source.

On Monday, ESPN’s Jeff Passan (subscription required) wrote that signing Montgomery would be the “perfect transaction” for the Mets.

“A bare-bones rotation … and shaky bullpen calls for someone who eats innings,” Passan wrote. “And when an available pitcher not only does that with aplomb but also has proven he’s equipped with the mettle to pitch in New York and the stuff to dominate in the postseason, that’s the sort of free agent well worth nine figures.”

Nov. 27: Why Montgomery could be an ideal fit with the Red Sox
Earlier this month, MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi reported that Boston officials spoke with Jordan Montgomery’s agent Scott Boras at the General Manager Meetings. Could Boston have a geographical advantage for signing him?

According to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam, Montgomery is “spending the winter in Boston and calling the city his offseason home”. While Montgomery’s wife begins her dermatology residency in the greater Boston area, Montgomery has been working out and throwing at Boston College, according to MassLive’s sources. More>