Yankees Could Reunite With Jordan Montgomery as Diamondbacks Look to Move Struggling Lefty
The Yankees are facing a pitching crisis. With Gerrit Cole out for the year, Luis Gil sidelined to start the season, and Clarke Schmidt battling injuries in camp, New York might be eyeing a familiar face to bolster their depleted rotation.
Jordan Montgomery is drawing trade interest around the league, according to Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix’s John Gambadoro. A reunion with the Yankees makes sense given their history and current needs.
Montgomery spent his first 5½ years in pinstripes, posting a 3.94 ERA across 97 starts before being traded in 2022. After a stellar 2023 campaign that culminated in a World Series ring with Texas, the lefty struggled mightily with Arizona last season.
His 6.23 ERA didn’t stop him from exercising his $22.5 million player option for 2025 — a decision that hasn’t sat well with Diamondbacks ownership.
“Looking back, in hindsight, a horrible decision to invest that money in a guy who performed as poorly as he did,” Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick said on “The Burnes & Gambo Show” earlier this offseason. “It’s our biggest mistake this season from a talent standpoint, and I’m the perpetrator of that.”
Given Kendrick’s comments, Arizona seems motivated to move on. Newsweek’s Zach Pressnell suggests the Diamondbacks might eat roughly half of Montgomery’s salary to facilitate a trade. They could even throw in a lower-tier prospect just to get his contract off the books.
For the Yankees, this could be an opportunity to buy low on a pitcher who knows the organization and has proven he can succeed in the Bronx. Despite last year’s struggles, Montgomery’s track record suggests he could bounce back in a familiar environment.
The timing feels right for both sides. Arizona wants out from under what they see as a bad contract, while the Yankees desperately need experienced arms who can eat innings while their injured starters recover.
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