Finding a Home for Jordan Montgomery

Hopefully sooner than later

The Diamondbacks have 6 MLB pitchers better than Jordan Montgomery.

-Corbin Burnes

-Zac Gallen

-Merrill Kelly

-Eduardo Rodriguez

-Brandon Pfaadt

-Ryne Nelson

On top of that, the Diamondbacks have 3 intriguing AAA SP’s in Cristian Mena, Yu Min Lin & Yilber Diaz.

Jordan Montgomery was maybe THE worst SP in the MLB last year with 6.23 ERA, 1.65 WHIP with zero signs for hope in his advanced stats.

Jordan Montgomery showed up after signing late in March clearly not in shape and carried himself terribly all season with poor body language and constant quotes to the media about how no Spring Training is effecting him and how mad he was no one (rightfully) gave him 4+ year deal he wanted.

Owner Ken Kendrick called Jordan Montgomery his biggest mistake last year as Jordan is set to make $22.5M in 2025 too.

I know a lot of Diamondbacks fans think Montgomery can turn it around, but there’s never been a more obvious needs a fresh start candidate than Jordan Montgomery.

The Diamondbacks payroll is likely north of $200M and I’d love to redistribute part of Jordan Montgomery’s $22.5M elsewhere (DH or RP) when we have 6 great SP options in house. And I don’t like the “Montgomery can be a RP” take as he wants to start, is in a contract year, and I’d rather have a Ryne Nelson long relieve than Montgomery pissed off in the bullpen.

No one is taking the full $22.5M of Jordan Montgomery, and I don’t think anyone is taking half the contract AND giving us any prospect or player of value either. I think the Diamondbacks best route is trading Montgomery for whatever $$$ they can get, probably in the $7-10M range. Here’s how I get that figure range:

Above are the current 2025 SP free agent signings on 1-2 yer deals $21M or under. Let’s cut out the top tier of Nick Martinez was great last season and took the qualifying offer from the Reds and Walker Buehler’s strong postseason earned him the same QO amount from Boston. On the flip side, Kyle Hendricks throws 85, Griffin Canning routinely posts ERA’s over 5 (if anyone can fix him it’s the Mets though) and Martin Perez is an inning eating zero upside arm at this point. That leaves us the $5M-$9M range in my opinion as Justin Verlander was injured and bad in 2024, but it’s Justin Verlander. Alex Cobb was good but injured liked always in 2024, but both guys at $15M should make more than Jordan Montgomery.

If Jordan Montgomery was a free agent right now, I think he gets $9M like Soroka or Sandoval (2/18, $9M AAV). Montgomery has a long track record of being a solid mid 3 ERA guy, has the no Spring Training argument, so I think the argument of a team wanting Monty in $7-10M range is valid.

So let’s get to it, let’s find Jordan Montgomery a new home.

TEAMS I AUTOMATICALLY RULE OUT

NL WEST (4): LA, SD, SF, COL (would be so weird for an in division team to bail the Diamondbacks out of the $$$ and AZ would hate to see Monty bounce back in division)

DON’T NEED/NOT LOOKING FOR ANY SP HELP: MIL, PIT, CHC, CIN, NYM, PHI, BAL, BOS, KC, LAA, NYY, SEA

BROKE TEAMS/NOT LOOKING TO ADD: STL, MIA, CHW, MIN, TB

That leaves…

POTENTIAL FITS: ATL, WAS, A’s, DET, CLE, HOU, TEX, TOR

Going through the other 29 teams, there’s 8 teams I see a fit with. For fun, I write up the 8 in reverse order of what I think is the most likely.

#8 Washington Nationals

The Nationals have been tied to several free agents this offseason, but haven’t locked into anything significant. The Nats have a really fun young core with several intriguing young SP’s, but for a team looking to start winning games, another vet SP makes sense + GM Mike Rizzo has a long history of targeting former D-Backs.

Gore has frontline potential, Irvin & Parker had solid seasons last year, Williams & Soroka are the vet signings with DJ Herz being next man up after flashing potential in 2024. I throw the Nats on this list because this mix of young SP’s and 2 injury prone vet SP’s (Williams missed most of last year, Soroka has been injured for a half decade), I could see the Nats taking on Montgomery, saving some innings from the young guys and potentially flipping Monty later if he bounces back.

Again, they’re 8th but going through their rotation & Mike Rizzo GM, I could see it,

#7 Houston Astros

The Astros are sneaky up against their payroll ceiling, which makes me think they could target Montgomery in the $7-10M range. To my surprise researching for this post, the Astros have a really thin rotation.

Valdez & Brown are elite, Blanco broke out in 2024, but Arrighetti & Wesneski have upside but haven’t sustained success at the MLB level. Cubs moved Wesneski to a RP for awhile in 2024, but there’s also not a lot behind this 5 either. The Astros have 4 tough injuries, maybe McCullers is the only pitcher who could be Opening Day ready, but he’s got a long injury history and can’t be counted for anything.

Framber Valdez is a contact ground ball pitcher with the same style and arsenal to a Jordan Montgomery. The Astros had great success trading for LHP SP Yusei Kikuchi who leveled up in Houston (10 GS, 60 IP, 2.70 ERA, 76 K).

I keep the Astros down to #7 on this list because I think they could try the young guys until they can get back some injured pitchers mid season and I don’t know if the Astros want to add significant salary right now, but the Astros are the #1 spot for Jordan Montgomery to revive his career in my opinion. Diamondbacks fans and I obviously want Monty gone, but this is the most dangerous spot for him to go.

#6 Cleveland Guardians

It’s a toss up in HOU vs CLE in the 6/7 spots, but I think Cleveland has a bigger need at SP than Houston. The Guardians have unloaded a lot of salary in Gimenez, Naylor & Myles Straw today. The Guardians are cheap, but this would be a very 2024 trading for Alex Cobb on a contract year type move.

I don’t think it’s that big of a deal, but the entire Cleveland rotation is RHP. Williams & McKenzie have battled injures, Ortiz (and throw Slade Cecconi in this) have been SP/RP and may be better RP’s (especially Slade as I’ve said A LOT). Ben Lively as SP2 isn’t great, Cantillo & Allen struggled at MLB level last year in their cups of coffee.

Like Houston, Cleveland is phenomenal at developing SP’s. Cleveland is also extremely cheap, but it’s a good fit as Cleveland’s rotation is dicier than ever.

#5 Detroit Tigers

Every team on this list I’m working under the assumption of a straight salary dump. There’s one scenario where I see a player for player swap, which is with the Tigers.

The only SP addition for the Tigers is Alex Cobb, who considered retirement this offseason. Tigers could look to limit top prospect Jobe’s innings (and service time), Mize just hasn’t been very good at the MLB level and doesn’t miss bats. I like Sawyer Gipson-Long, but he’s injured with an elbow injury. Faedo, Manning, Madden may likely be RP’s long term but are sitting in AAA as SP’s now…

So what about this…

The Diamondbacks pay Montgomery’s $22.5M and send him to Detroit for…. former #1 overall pick Spencer Torkelson.

Fresh start for fresh start swap.

The Tigers have just about thrown in the towel on Torkelson by officially moving Colt Keith to 1B after signing 2B Gleyber Torres. Kerry Carpenter has locked down the DH spot, leaving Tork for MAYBE just small side platoon AB’s vs LHP. Ultimately, I think the Tigers are ready to move on and here is why I think Tork is worth a flyer:

Tork looked to have figured it out in 2023 with 31 HR and ripped the cover off the ball. Detroit’s Comerica Park ranked 23rd for hitting, 25th for homers the last 3 years via MLB Statcast Park Factors. A RH DH bat who also plays some 1B (Tork is awful defensively but does play 1B) fits what the Diamondbacks could use. Tork makes $800k this year and is under team control through 2028.

The Tigers could also pay up for a portion of Monty’s deal without a Tork deal attached, but it’s a fit for both teams.

#4 Toronto Blue Jays

If the Blue Jays win Roki Sasaki (fingers crossed as it’s down to TOR & LA), you can cross the Jays off this list. I’ve been saying Sasaki is going to LA, so let’s assume this is the Jays rotation right now.

The top 4 arms are locked in, Yariel Rodriguez had an interesting 2024 but battled some arm fatigue injures and had a couple blow up starts. Without any other MLB ready top prospects, Rodriguez being an easy move to long RP/SP6 and the Blue Jays struggling to sign free agents, enter Jordan Montgomery. This would give the Jays 5 strong SP’s with 4 vets and Bowden Francis coming off a breakout 2024. The Jays are willing to spend money, making them the team you can probably get the most $$$ out of any.

#3 CALIFORNIA OAKLAND A’S OF SACRAMENTO AND EVENTUALLY LAS VEGAS MAYBE BUT LOW KEY WHAT ABOUT NASHVILLE

The Sacramento A’s spend money now. The A’s signed Severino, traded for Springs & as I’m writing this signed RP Jose Leclerc. They also extended Brent Rooker too. With this newfound commitment to spending, I could see the A’s taking a shot on Montgomery as their rotation still isn’t full behind Sevy/Springs/Sears.

A’s surprisingly have a good blend of need & willingness to add a player in the $10M range.

#2 Atlanta Braves

This would be such a Braves trade as no team in baseball likes to trade around big contracts more than the Braves.

10/31/24- Traded away Jorge Soler ($13M) to LAA

7/30/24- Traded for Soler & Luke Jackson

12/30/23- Traded for Chris Sale ($27.5M)

12/15/23- Traded for Matt Carpenter’s expiring contract

12/9/23- Traded away Max Stassi’s expiring contract ($7M)

12/8/23- Traded away Evan White’s bad contract for Stassi & David Fletcher’s bad contracts.

12/6/23- Traded away Marco Gonzales bad contract.

12/3/23- Took on Gonzales & White’s bad contracts to get Jarred Kelenic.

11/17/23- Traded away 5 players for Aaron Bummer’s long term RP contract.

So the precedent of being willing to take on and move around big contracts is set. The Braves and Diamondbacks have made this type of trade before with the Bronson Arroyo expiring contract & Touki Toussaint for cash trade. The Braves have a need in their rotation with Strider rehabbing Tommy John. Sale, Lopez, Schwellenbach is elite, but Holmes is a SP5/LR type and Ian Anderson has had his struggled at the MLB level.

Smith-Shawver & Waldrep are exciting SP prospects, but likely will have their innings managed. The Braves need SP depth (Sale, Lopez battled injuries last year too), this type of trade is right up the Braves alley.

#1 Texas Rangers

No team in baseball has a higher opinion of Jordan Montgomery than the Texas Rangers. Jordan Montgomery was a key piece of their World Series run. Monty was a mid season trade acquisition in 2023, made 11 regular season starts to the tune of a 2.79 ERA. In the playoffs, Monty had a 2.90 ERA in 31 IP.

The “buzz” last offseason was that returning to Texas high on Monty’s wish list, but the Rangers payroll was pretty high last season. The Rangers need another SP:

deGrom & Mahle are returning from major injuries and Eovaldi/Gray are 33+ and have had their own long list of injuries. Bradford could slide back to the bullpen in long relief. Montgomery is a Rangers playoff legend, they need a SP, everyone would be thrilled to make this happen.

I’d be thrilled to move off Montgomery for just 1/3 of his $22.5M salary and put that back into the bullpen, but maybe Hazen can get a team to eat up to 50% of the salary. Either way, Montgomery needs a new home before Spring training opens up next month.

-Goldy Happens