3 teams that should capitalize on Rangers' reluctance to re-sign Jordan Montgomery
The Texas Rangers traded for Jordan Montgomery midseason and went on to win the World Series. Montgomery was electric in the playoffs and all signs pointed to him staying with the Rangers long term. Unfortunately, in this business, money often gets in the way.
Montgomery is a client of Scott Boras, a notoriously hard negotiator who prioritizes cash above all else. We can safely assume the 31-year-old Montgomery wants a significant long-term contract to set up the next chapter of his career. Montgomery has moved around a lot over the past couple seasons — from New York, to St. Louis, to Arlington all within a two-year span — so he's probably looking for some stability.
The fit in Texas was perfect. Montgomery is well-suited to the No. 3 spot behind Nathan Eovaldi and Max Scherzer — there's pressure to win, but he's not being asked to carry the bullpen on his shoulders. Plus, in Texas, Montgomery got to work hand-in-hand with two of our great modern pitchers. What a chance to learn and grow.
Money, however, cannot be ignored. Texas won the World Series, so you would expect a blank check from ownership. But, that's not the case. The Rangers are dealing with concerns about their TV contract, which could impact revenue. As a result, the front office's spending power is restrained. Texas GM Chris Young isn't closing the door on Montgomery, but he did admit that major additions are unlikely at this point.
This is a golden opportunity for teams around the league to pounce on arguably the best starter left in the free-agent pool.
3. Giants can engineer one more major splash with Jordan Montgomery
The San Francisco Giants are going all-out in the NL West. With Bob Melvin onboard, there isn't another choice. The Arizona Diamondbacks are reigning NL champs. The Los Angeles Dodgers just dolled out more than $1 billion to add several of the top free agents, including the consensus best player in baseball, Shohei Ohtani. If the Giants aren't aggressive, they'll be left in the dust.
Pete Putila and the front office have made a few impressive additions, including Jung Hoo Lee in the outfield, Jorge Soler in the DH spot, and Robbie Ray on the mound. That said, Ray won't be available until midseason due to injuries. San Francisco's other big addition to the starting rotation, Jordan Hicks, is a career backup with a spotty track record in starting situations. So, the Giants could use some security on that front.
It's clear the checkbook is still open for San Francisco. Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman are popular theoretical targets, but the Giants could get just as much, if not more, out of Montgomery on the mound. Even if he's not a standard No. 1 ace, Montgomery is a paragon of consistency with fresh high-level experience to lean on. He was rock-solid for Texas during the postseason. The Giants' goal, at the end of the day, is to get back to the playoffs and start contending.
Eventually paired with Ray, Montgomery would give the Giants a second left-handed whiz to build the rotation around. If Hicks can finally realize his potential in extended innings, San Francisco's rotation is going to really take off. Logan Webb is mildly underwhelming as "the guy," but as the second or third-best pitcher? That's a completely different outlook.