Breaking: Zac Gallen Arizona Diamondbacks Pitcher Agrees to contract extension, Reportedly worth $9m-plus per….Read more

The Arizona Diamondbacks made an unexpected trade for a starting pitcher last offseason, and they were among the more active teams in free agency.

Aside from the Los Angeles Dodgers acquiring Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the most notable event of the previous offseason was the protracted signing process involving four clients of Scott Boras. It took months for the “Boras Four”—Matt Chapman, Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, and Jordan Montgomery—to sign their contracts.

After successful 2023 campaigns, all four of them sought lucrative long-term contracts. After the market failed to materialize as anticipated, Montgomery reached a temporary agreement with Arizona that included a $22.5 million option for 2025.

Even though he was scolded by Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick for his struggles in 2024, he still decided to exercise his option since he knew he would receive less money elsewhere.

However, according to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, Montgomery was one of the top trade candidates this winter, so he might not wind up starting for the Diamondbacks this coming season.

“Jordan Montgomery signed in late March, reported to the Diamondbacks’ facility out of shape and never hit his stride this year,” said Bowden. Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick branded the deal as the team’s “biggest mistake” due to his terrible performance that season. In 2024, Montgomery had a disastrous season, posting a 6.34 ERA, 1.650 WHIP, and -1.4 WAR. Prior to that, he had been a reliable baseball starter for the past three years.

Following the season, he decided to cash in on his $22.5 million player option. In order to find a buyer, the Diamondbacks will likely have to reduce his contract by $10–$12 million in the summer. However, if they stay within that range, they may be able to get a team to bite. Otherwise, if Montgomery has a strong start to the upcoming season, Arizona may try to trade for him.

You shouldn’t be surprised if the Diamondbacks end their relationship with Montgomery soon.