Jordan Montgomery exercised his $22.5MM player option with the Diamondbacks, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (X link). There was never much doubt on this decision, though Montgomery stands as one of the top trade candidates of the winter.
Montgomery’s first season in the desert was a nightmare. The veteran southpaw signed late on a $25MM pillow contract after his market failed to materialize. He changed his representation shortly into the season and has publicly expressed dissatisfaction with how former agent Scott Boras handled negotiations. Montgomery surely hoped to retest the market after one season, but he didn’t pitch well enough to give himself that opportunity.
Opponents teed off for a 6.23 ERA in 117 innings. Arizona pushed him out of the rotation after 21 starts, the first time in his career that he lost a starting job. The only silver lining was that Montgomery made enough starts to vest the option that he eventually pushed to a $22.5MM value.
Owner Ken Kendrick pulled no punches after the season. “If anyone wants to blame anyone for Jordan Montgomery being a Diamondback, you’re talking to the guy that should be blamed,” the owner said after the team narrowly missed the playoffs. “Because I brought it to (the front office’s) attention. I pushed for it. They agreed to it. It wasn’t in our game plan. … And looking back, in hindsight, a horrible decision to have invested that money in a guy that performed as poorly as he did. It’s our biggest mistake this season from a talent standpoint. And I’m the perpetrator of that.”
There was some chatter that Kendrick went public hoping to alienate Montgomery so the pitcher would pass on the option. If that was the intent, it never stood much chance. Montgomery would have been leaving millions on the table if he returned to free agency. He’d likely have been looking at a one-year contract in the $8-12MM range in that case. Even if Montgomery wants a fresh start, that’s too much to bypass. Arizona will probably look for ways to offload a portion of the deal in an offseason trade, though they wouldn’t be able to shed the entire salary without taking back an undesirable contract in their own right.
This is kinda funny
Agree…the owner has probably trashed his own office and is now out on a 2 day bender.
No surprise
I’m shocked
Prudent move, considering he pooped the futon this past season.
I love it. F the clown owner.
Trade him to me for round two of “how to get stomped”
He may be the best bounce back candidate in the league.
He’s a .500 pitcher with middling stuff that is declining. I think a bounce back for him looks like a 5 and fly 5th starter.
We shall see. Even league average will be a bounce back from last year. I expect him to be above average.
I do too… i think much of what happened is due to signing too late and not doing a normal ST ramp up routine
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Ouch. Don’t know how he ever got a contract like that,maybe 2 good seasons?
Career FIP of 3.85 even after the disaster last year isn’t bad.
Some team is gonna get him for 6-8 mil because the Dbacks owner couldn’t keep his mouth shut. They’re gonna have to eat more than half that deal to move him, and they’ll end up getting a prospect outside the top 20 of some organization.
AA would send Canning straight up for Montgomery.
But for that salary… no to braves
Canning could be a safety net for a year in case the braves don’t resign fried and morton and then in 2026 smith-shawver and waldrep are permanent starters
The Braves aren’t resigning either of them. They could definitely use a lefty. Montgomery and $15m for David Fletcher. Go get him AA.
Fletcher has $8 million owed with the buyout. I could see Fletcher for Montgomery and $5 million. But, I think a lot of teams would be bidding for a buy low one year deal on a starter. So Fletcher for Montgomery would be fine with me.
If he’s gets shopped, AA will be on line 1 to have him fill Morton’s spot.
Sale worked out alright. I think Montgomery would be good in Atlanta. Especially if he ends up only costing like $4m.
Tigers new #2 starter.
Reds will trade candelario for Montgomery.
And twice on Sunday!
Pittsburgh despite having depth at SP should take a stab here.
Deal from your rotation depth elsewhere for a hitter. Take a quarter or a third of his salary just to facilitate a trade or more and acquire prospects with it similarly to the Liriano trade a while back.
Best case you improve your hitting by dealing depth and Montgomery does well and you could even flip depending on record, worst case he sucks and you still improve hitting which is the main issue.
Wow. Pick up 30% of the contract and a box of Kristy Kremes for the office staff and he’s yours.
Sox-DBacks might both benefit from a Montgomery-Yoshida trade.
Sox have a dozen outfielders with more on the way. Yoshida has three years left on his contract. He looked pretty good after coming back from injury. and Montgomery is basically a one-year deal now, so if he’s good he helps and if he smells up the place Yoshida’s money is now in Arizona..
His role was going to be extremely reduced anyway.
Bounce back is in the future. This would be a great get for the Rangers!
So, you guys think they’ll sign another Boras client this winter?
It’s hard to go 94 starts with a sub 3.50 ERA and then suddenly be over 6 in 21 starts. I think most of it with Jordan was the late start and the disappointment of how the offseason went. I bet he bounces back.
Montgomery for Mikolas! A man can dream
This gave me a good chuckle
Last year he was heralded as a postseason hero. Just think if those whiney Red Sox fans had their way and signed him…