Rangers reportedly back in the mix for Jordan Montgomery

DALLAS — The Texas Rangers have had a relatively low-key offseason following their World Series win. Although the team was initially speculated to be interested in the bid for dual-role superstar Shohei Ohtani, the possibility did not materialize. Moreover, the team chose not to rehire designated hitter Mitch Garver who went on to join the Seattle team. Furthermore, the Rangers have not made many high-profile signings, although new starting pitcher Tyler Mahle could prove to be a valuable addition post the All-Star break, despite recovering from an injury at the start of the year.

In spite of these circumstances, two of the Rangers' major needs, starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery and closer Josh Hader, are still on the table as they remain unrestricted free agents. It seems that despite uncertainty regarding the Rangers' TV deal with Bally Sports, Texas could be in the running once again for Montgomery, an integral part of their rotation squad during the playoffs. Jon Heyman, a prominent baseball insider for the New York Post, suggested this week that the Rangers were "likely to be back in play" for Montgomery. He anticipates that a reunion between Montgomery and Texas could have a higher likelihood compared to other potential teams such as the Phillies and the Angels.

According to Heyman, a significant factor in the Rangers' revived interest in Montgomery could be the prospect of a one-time payment that the club could receive, amounting up to $90 million, for its TV broadcasting rights. The fiscal instability caused by Bally's bankruptcy has cast a shadow over the future of the Rangers' commercial income, with a significant portion originating from local TV rights. A lump sum payment could potentially help to temporarily alleviate this situation.

Montgomery's requirement in any team is clear; in the case of the Rangers or any other interested team. Over the past three seasons, he has consistently proved to be one of the most dependable pitchers in terms of starting, achieving a 3.48 ERA in 524.1 innings during this period. His proficiency has been seen consistently throughout his career, albeit with a few obstacles on the way. Montgomery missed a majority of the 2018 and 2019 seasons due to an elbow injury and was subsequently traded by the Yankees to St. Louis in 2022. After the Cardinals' disappointing performance the following year, Montgomery was traded to Texas, in exchange for reliever John King, minor league players Tekoah Roby, and Thomas Saggese for himself and reliever Chris Stratton. Ever since then, he has been a reliable member of Texas' rotation and even aced the playoffs.

It is not to say that Montgomery is a power pitcher; his strikeout rate (21.4% in 2023) was actually lower than half of all pitchers in the league. However, his newest technique of using a sinker-curveball-changeup combination has proved to be a successful strategy to disarm batters, a critical element of Montgomery's showdown against the Astros. The possible implications of acquiring Montgomery for the Rangers would be significant: a five-year agreement would likely solidify Montgomery as a pivotal member of Texas' rotation, potentially setting up a championship scenario.

In the more immediate future, Montgomery could mainstay the rotation in unison with Nathan Eovaldi until at least halfway through 2024. With the recovery period of highly paid ace Jacob deGrom from a repeated elbow surgery, newly signed Mahle, and Scherzer sidelined temporarily due to a back injury, Montgomery would be a valuable addition alongside Eovaldi at the head of a rotation which could potentially feature Jon Gray, Dane Dunning, Andrew Heaney, and possibly Cody Bradford. Although these five were fairly reliable in 2023, with Eovaldi and Dunning as pillars, Eovaldi and Gray were both affected by injuries last year. Rangers' current roster of injured rotation starters underscores the potential susceptibility of a rotation team. Montgomery's recent agility would offer the depth in rotation that Texas would almost certainly require in 2024.