The Arizona Diamondbacks were all in after their thrilling run to the 2023 World Series. They hit the offseason hard, looking to make some major upgrades. Among the big names they brought in was Jordan Montgomery. But let’s just say that his season didn’t quite live up to the hype. If you ask D-backs owner Ken Kendrick, Montgomery’s performance was definitely a swing and a miss. There was so much excitement about his potential, but as the 2024 season rolled on, it became clear that things just weren’t clicking, while bringing in sluggers like Joc Pederson, Eugenio Suárez and Randal Grichuk paid off big time. 

While the D-backs scored big with their offensive additions, the same can’t be said for their pitching moves. Jordan Montgomery just didn’t deliver on the promise that surrounded his signing. After the D-backs found out they wouldn’t be heading to the postseason, owner Ken Kendrick opened up on Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo. He took responsibility for the decision to sign Montgomery right before the start of the season. “I pushed for it. They agreed to it. It wasn’t in our game plan when he was signed right at the end of spring training, and looking back in hindsight, (it was) a horrible decision to have invested that money in a guy that performed as poorly as he did,” he said.

Montgomery further added, “It’s our biggest mistake this season from a talent standpoint, and I’m the perpetrator of that.” The D-backs knew he had talent—after all, they faced him in the World Series—but the guy they ended up with was a shadow of that postseason hero. Jordan Montgomery had the unpleasant distinction of having the worst ERA in MLB among pitchers with at least 100 innings, with a terrible 6.23 ERA. Things got so bad that he was demoted to the bullpen in August, but it looks like his time with the D-backs probably isn’t over just yet. 

The D-backs’ deal with Jordan Montgomery

After a career-best season with the the Texas Rangers, Jordan Montgomery became a postseason hero. He even helped secure the World Series title, so, the expectations were sky-high. With his agent, Scott Boras, holding out for a lucrative nine-figure deal, it seemed like ‘Monty’ was poised for a big payday. But as the offseason dragged on and other teams passed, reality set in. On March 27, the 31-year-old finally signed a one-year $25 million deal with the Diamondbacks—a far cry from what he and Boras had originally hoped for.  

Then, just a few weeks later, Montgomery made headlines again by firing Boras. I guess he figured it was time to find someone who could help him navigate the rough waters of free agency without sinking the ship. He has a $22.5 million player option for the next season that he is probably going to exercise because of certain contract incentives. The fact that Kendrick is ready to publicly express his disappointment in a player, who may have a contract with the D-backs for the upcoming season, raises the possibility that they are exploring for any means of getting free of him.

This could set the stage for a fascinating offseason as the D-backs weigh their options. So, will they look to trade Jordan Montgomery, or try to make it work? What do you think? Share in the comments.