According to Bleacher Report’s Erin Walsh, the New York Yankees are considered a top destination for free agent Jordan Montgomery, especially since they’ll be missing Gerrit Cole for “one to two months,” as reported by the New York Post’s Jon Heyman. Throughout the offseason, the Yankees have been actively looking for starting pitchers, making them a potential match for Montgomery.
Earlier in the offseason, the Yankees were interested in Blake Snell and even proposed a deal for Dylan Cease with the Chicago White Sox. However, Snell recently signed a two-year, $62 million contract with the San Francisco Giants, and Cease was traded to the San Diego Padres. Despite this, Walsh suggests that Montgomery could serve as a suitable alternative.
During the offseason, the Yankees offered Snell $150 million, but eventually withdrew their offer, as reported by USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale. Walsh notes that Montgomery would complement the Yankees’ rotation well, which also features Nestor Cortes, named the Opening Day starter, along with Carlos Rodón and Marcus Stroman.
Jordan Montgomery Would Solidify the Yankees’ Rotation
According to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, Gerrit Cole is currently sidelined due to nerve inflammation and edema, which is a significant setback for the Yankees’ starting rotation at the beginning of the season.
Cole, 33 years old, earned his first Cy Young Award in 2023 after being a runner-up twice in his career. His remarkable performance included leading the American League with a 2.53 ERA, a 15-4 record, and pitching 209.0 innings.
For the opening day, Nestor Cortes will take the mound for the Yankees, followed by Carlos Rodón and Marcus Stroman. Both Cortes and Rodón have dealt with injuries in recent seasons. Jordan Montgomery, who is coming off a World Series Championship, made 32 starts in 2023 split between the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers. His experience would be valuable in filling Cole’s absence.
Montgomery posted a 3.20 ERA over 188.2 innings pitched for the Cardinals and Rangers combined. Notably, his performance improved after being traded to the Rangers on July 30, where he recorded a 4-2 record with a 2.79 ERA. Montgomery also contributed significantly during the Rangers’ postseason run, achieving a 3-1 record.
Reuniting Montgomery With the Yankees
Jordan Montgomery was drafted by the Yankees in 2014 and made his debut for the club in 2017, remaining with them until 2022 when he was traded to the Cardinals midway through the season. During his time with the Yankees, Montgomery recorded a 22-20 record, with a 3.94 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in 98 games, the majority of which (97) were starts. He struggled with multiple elbow injuries, limiting him to only 17 starts across three seasons from 2018 to 2020.
Spotrac projects Montgomery to potentially sign a six-year, $110 million deal, although according to Jon Heyman, the 31-year-old pitcher might not be inclined to return to the Yankees. Heyman suggests that the Yankees’ options for acquiring starting pitching are limited, especially since there are doubts about Montgomery’s interest in rejoining the team. There’s a sentiment from Montgomery, as reported by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, that the Yankees may have given up on him when they traded him to the Cardinals in 2022.
Other teams, such as the Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros, and the Rangers, are considered top landing spots for Montgomery, according to Erin Walsh.
