MLB Insider: What the Jordan Montgomery signing means for the Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks, fresh off a World Series appearance, still feel like an afterthought in a stacked National League West.

A primary reason for that is the Los Angeles Dodgers added Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Teoscar Hernandez, among others, to an already star-studded lineup. Others surely viewed the Diamondbacks, a wild-card team last year, as a Cinderella story and unlikely to pick up where they left off in 2023.

But the Diamondbacks retained outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. They signed frontline starter Eduardo Rodriguez, traded for Eugenio Suarez, and signed free-agent sluggers Joc Pederson and Randal Grichuk. Then in the days before Opening Day, they agreed to terms on a one-year contract with star pitcher Jordan Montgomery.

While some teams would be happy getting to the World Series, the Diamondbacks went all-in to not only get back to the World Series – but to win it. And general manager Mike Hazen and team ownership deserves credit for that.

MLB insider: What Diamondbacks signing of Jordan Montgomery means for 2024 outlook

The moves did not vault the Diamondbacks past the Dodgers, who resemble an All-Star team and could go down as one of the best teams in baseball history. But the moves, capped by Montgomery, cemented the Diamondbacks’ status as the second best team in the division.

Just look at Montgomery’s production the last couple of years. In St. Louis, after a midseason trade with the New York Yankees, he posted a 3.11 ERA in 11 starts. He posted a 3.42 ERA in 21 starts last season with the Cardinals before being traded to the Texas Rangers, where he posted a 2.79 ERA in 11 starts and led the team to a World Series.

Signing Blake Snell, Matt Chapman and Jorge Soler perhaps vaulted the Giants past the Diamondbacks – it certainly narrowed the gap – but the Montgomery signing unquestionably put Arizona back as the second best team in the division.

Now, the Diamondbacks’ rotation consists of four high-end starters in Montgomery, Rodriguez, Zac Gallen and Brandon Pfaadt. Combined with a high-powered offense, it makes them a dangerous opponent and a potential nightmare, barring injury, for any opponent in the postseason once again.

If there was any doubt before, the Montgomery signing signals that the Diamondbacks will be formidable once again in 2024. The other 29 teams in baseball have officially been put on notice.