MLB Insider hints Jordan Montgomery was hypocritical about desire to sign with Red Sox

When starting pitchers have any level of success in the Major Leagues, they put themselves in the driver’s seat for negotiating contract deals. However, sometimes we get rumors and the truth mixed up. This was the case with Arizona Diamondbacks lefty Jordan Montgomery. 

Montgomery spent time with both the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers in the 2023 season where he went 10-11 with a respectable 3.20 ERA across 32 starts. At season’s end, the left-handed starter elected free agency and the bidding war began. 

A left-handed starter with Montgomery’s experience had the potential to add some real value to the back end of any team’s rotation. The Boston Red Sox seemed like a great landing spot for Montgomery and it had been reported that there was some level of mutual interest. Now according to MLB Insider Jon Heyman, that may not have been the case. 

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Jordan Montgomery ignored Red Sox offer

Jordan Montgomery has spent the majority of his MLB career viewing the Boston Red Sox as his rival. From 2017-2022, he was a member of the New York Yankees. This past offseason it sounds like he had the opportunity to call Fenway Park home and declined. 

MLB Insider Jon Heyman reported that Montgomery told the Boston Herald that he would have been happy to sign with the Red Sox but it appears that may not be the whole truth. 

Heyman claims that Montgomery did not see the Boston Red Sox as a playoff contender (rightfully so) and that he ignored a four-year deal offer that Boston extended. In addition, the organization held a three-hour Zoom call but ultimately could not convince him to come to Boston. 

According to Heyman, Montgomery was holding out for a Texas Rangers offer that never came. He also turned down a reunion with the Yankees that would have had him in the Bronx for the next four years earning a total of $72 million. 

Montgomery landed in the desert with the Arizona Diamondbacks on a one-year deal worth $25 million. With a 6.25 ERA in 23 games, you can’t help but wonder if Montgomery has regrets about his offseason decision considering that his value is on the decline heading into another potential free agency stint.