Jordan Montgomery has reportedly exercised his $22.5 million player option to stay with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the 2025 season.
The 31-year-old left-hander signed with Arizona on a one-year, $25 million deal ahead of the 2024 season, which included the player option. The agreement came after a difficult free agency period during which Montgomery, represented at the time by Scott Boras, settled for a contract that fell short of expectations. This deal set the stage for a trying year on the mound.
Montgomery, dissatisfied with how Boras managed his free agency, made a significant shift in representation to Wasserman agents Joel Wolfe and Nick Chanock before making his first start for Arizona. While he may have been inclined to re-enter free agency, his 2024 performance made the choice to stay put more pragmatic.
Montgomery’s season was marked by struggles, finishing with an 8-7 record and a 6.23 ERA. These challenges led to a stint in the bullpen, as Ryne Nelson briefly replaced him in the rotation. Although Montgomery returned to a starting role following an injury to Nelson, his substantial salary compared to his performance has fueled speculation that he could be on the trade block.
Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick openly took responsibility for the signing during a radio interview after the season. Kendrick admitted the decision to acquire Montgomery was driven by him and not originally part of the team’s strategy. He called the move the team’s most significant personnel mistake of the season, citing disappointment in the return on investment.
“If anyone wants to blame anyone for Jordan Montgomery being a Diamondback, you’re talking to the guy that should be blamed,” Kendrick said on The Burns & Gambo Show. “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.”
Montgomery’s career has been marked by several shifts since being drafted by the Yankees in 2014. He made his MLB debut in 2017, spending six seasons in New York before being traded to the Cardinals in 2022 for Harrison Bader. His journey included a stint with the Rangers following a 2023 trade deadline deal, where he played a part in Texas’ World Series triumph, before joining Arizona.
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