Jordan Montgomery’s challenging season with the Arizona Diamondbacks took another turn on Friday as the team announced his move to the bullpen. According to the Arizona Republic, D-Backs manager Torey Lovullo confirmed the decision, noting that right-hander Ryne Nelson, who has posted a 2.82 ERA over his last eight starts, will remain in the starting rotation.
“(Nelson has) been one of the best pitchers since July 1 in all of baseball, not just the National League,” Lovullo stated on Friday, as reported by the Arizona Republic. “I didn’t want to run away from that.”
Montgomery, who signed a one-year, $25 million contract with Arizona just before the start of the season, has struggled to find his footing. His current ERA stands at 6.44 over 19 starts. In his most recent outing, the Miami Marlins’ offense managed six runs and 10 hits against him in 5 2/3 innings. This marks the sixth time in 19 starts that Montgomery has allowed at least six runs.
Last season, Montgomery played a key role in helping the Texas Rangers secure their first World Series title, leading to expectations that he would secure a lucrative contract as a free agent. However, Montgomery remained unsigned until late March, alongside other clients of agent Scott Boras, including Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, and Blake Snell. Montgomery later parted ways with Boras following his signing with Arizona.
“I had a Zoom call with (the Boston Red Sox during free agency). That’s really all I know. It went good,” Montgomery shared on Friday, as reported by the Boston Herald. “I don’t know. Obviously Boras kind of butchered it, so I’m just trying to move on from the offseason and try to forget it.”
While all four members of the “Boras Four” started the season slowly, Bellinger, Chapman, and Snell have since improved significantly. Bellinger has regained his power since returning from a broken finger, Chapman’s overall performance has been strong for months, and Snell has been one of baseball’s best pitchers since recovering from a groin injury.
Although missing spring training is a setback, Montgomery has made 19 starts this season, raising questions about why he hasn’t found his form. With the season in full swing, the responsibility for Montgomery’s struggles seems to be shifting from Boras to Montgomery himself. The fact that Bellinger, Chapman, and Snell have managed to bounce back raises further questions about Montgomery’s performance.
Montgomery’s contract includes a player option for 2025, currently valued at $22.5 million, which could increase to $25 million if he makes four more starts. However, given his recent performance and the success of Nelson, the decision to move Montgomery to the bullpen appears justified. The Diamondbacks are in contention for the NL West and need their top five starters in the rotation.
With Eduardo Rodriguez and Merrill Kelly recently returning from injuries, they join Nelson, Zac Gallen, and Brandon Pfaadt in the rotation. Montgomery has limited experience as a reliever, with just three career relief appearances—one in 2019 and one each in the 2022 and 2023 postseasons.
The Diamondbacks, currently holding the top wild-card spot and five games ahead in the postseason race, begin a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Friday. They are 72-56, trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers by four games in the NL West.
In the previous season, Montgomery, 31, recorded a 3.20 ERA across 32 starts with the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers, followed by 31 postseason innings with a 2.90 ERA.
