ESPN: The Yankees re-acquire a $47.5 million starter to strengthen rotation.
Despite having an abundance of starting pitchers, one MLB observer thinks the Yankees should acquire another.
The Yankees should attempt to re-acquire Jordan Montgomery from the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to MLB expert Jeremy Nielsen of PinstripeAlley of SB Nation. According to Nielsen, Montgomery may support the Yankees’ bottom of the rotation and is a good buy-low option.
Montgomery would leave a poisonous environment in Arizona and return to the team that selected and nurtured him if the Yankees traded for him, Nielsen wrote. This time, he would also receive a comprehensive spring training program. Rather than completely skipping camp and waiting for a better offer that never materialized.
The Yankees have too many starters, as Nielsen notes, but the left-hander would be a strong, seasoned choice to start as the fifth. However, it remains to be seen if the Yankees would be interested in reuniting with the left-hander.
Last off-season, Montgomery agreed to a two-year, $47.5 million contract with the Diamondbacks.
Montgomery is a terrible signing, according to the Diamondbacks owner.
Arizona signed Montgomery in an attempt to strengthen their rotation.
However, according to Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick, Montgomery had a terrible 2024 season.
Kendrick told Arizona Sports, “If anyone wants to point the finger at someone for Jordan Montgomery’s status as a Diamondback, you’re talking to the guy who should be blamed.” “Because I alerted [the front office] to it.” I pushed for it. It wasn’t part of our strategy, but they agreed to it. He was signed only at the conclusion of spring training, as you are aware. And in retrospect, it was a terrible choice to put that money into a man who fared as badly as he did. In terms of talent, it’s our worst error of the season. And I’m the one who did that.
Montgomery made 21 starts for the Diamondbacks and was 8-7 with a 6.23 ERA. The Yankees drafted the left-hander in the 2014 Major League Baseball draft. Between 2017 and 2022, he performed in New York.
The Yankees Might Make a Trade Stroman, Marcus
Nestor Cortes was traded this summer, but New York strengthened its rotation by acquiring Max Fried.
Montgomery is not necessary because the Yankees still have Cole, Fried, Rodon, Schmidt, and Gil in their rotation. Marcus Stroman is also available to New York, although the Yankees are reportedly interested in trading the right-hander, according to MLB source Robert Murray.
Murray stated on The Baseball Insiders that a Marcus Stroman deal would seem more plausible than not.
Prior to the 2024 MLB season, Stroman agreed to a two-year, $37 million contract with the Yankees. However, after going 10-9 with a 4.31 ERA in 30 games, the right-hander was left off the playoff squad.
