Jordan Montgomery reportedly agrees to 1-year, $25 million deal with Diamondbacks

Jordan Montgomery has reportedly come to terms with the Arizona Diamondbacks on a one-year, $25 million deal according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, concluding a protracted free agency for the veteran left-hander that extended until two days before MLB’s stateside Opening Day.

The deal reportedly contains a vesting option for a second year, which would be worth up to $25 million. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports Montgomery will be able to opt out if he makes at least 10 starts in 2024, though more starts would increase the value of the second year.

Montgomery, 31, joins the Diamondbacks fresh off defeating them in the World Series with the Texas Rangers. He played a half-season with the Rangers in 2023 following a midseason trade from the St. Louis Cardinals. He pitched last year on a one-year, $10 million arbitration deal and hit free agency for the first time this offseason.

In 32 combined starts for the Cardinals and Rangers last season, Montgomery posted a 3.20 ERA and 1.193 WHIP with 166 strikeouts and 48 walks in 188 2/3 innings pitched. For his career, he has a 3.41 ERA and 1.209 WHIP in 141 appearances across seven MLB seasons.

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In six postseason appearances for the Rangers, Montgomery tallied a 2.90 ERA and 1.35 WHIP with 17 strikeouts and five walks in 31 innings pitched. He picked up two wins in three ALCS appearances against the Houston Astros, allowing two earned runs in 14 innings pitched. He lost his only World Series start, allowing four earned runs to the Diamondbacks in Game 2.

Now, the Diamondbacks will add him to a rotation that was already looking decent with the likes of Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez and Brandon Pfaadt. It might take a while for Montgomery to make his debut, though, having missed basically all of spring training.

Equipped with a four-pitch arsenal, Montgomery relies on his control and his sinker alongside a changeup, curveball and four-seam fastball to keep runners off the base paths. His 6.2% walk rate ranked in MLB’s 82nd percentile last season.

Durable and consistent, Montgomery has pitched at least 157 innings each of the past three seasons. He projects as a reliable mid-tier starter in 2024. He was No. 6 on Yahoo Sports’ list of this winter’s top 25 free agents.

Montgomery is one of five high-profile clients of agent Scott Boras who didn’t sign prior to the start of spring training, alongside Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, Matt Chapman and J.D. Martinez. On Feb. 25, Bellinger signed a three-year, $80 million contract to remain with the Chicago Cubs. On March 1, Matt Chapman landed a three-year, $54 million deal with the San Francisco Giants. On March 18. Snell also joined the Giants on a two-year, $62 million deal. Martinez went to the Mets on a one-year, $12 million contract last week.