Entering Friday, the Arizona Diamondbacks had a one-game cushion over the Atlanta Braves for the third and final National League Wild Card spot.
Arizona caught fire after the All-Star break and has ended up turning in an impressive 2024 campaign overall as an organization, despite one of its big free agent signings turning out to be a bust.
No matter which way you slice it, lefty hurler Jordan Montgomery has been a massive disappointment for Arizona. Entering Friday, he was 8-7 on the year with an alarming 6.23 ERA. There’s a reason the Diamondbacks moved Montgomery to the bullpen in late August.
On Friday, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden called Montgomery no less than the No. 2 biggest disappointment of the Major League season.
“Jordan Montgomery was expected to get a lucrative free-agent contract last offseason, but after he turned down a four-year deal from the Red Sox, his market dipped dramatically and he ended up signing a one-year, $25 million contract with the Diamondbacks that included a vesting player option for a second year if he made 10 starts,” Bowden said.
“He managed to do that, but not much else. Montgomery reported to the D-Backs out of shape, didn’t make his first start until April 19 and ultimately wasn’t even a shell of the pitcher he’d been the past three seasons, posting a 6.23 ERA in 21 starts and four relief appearances. He’d be a fool to re-enter free agency after this disastrous season, so expect him to return to the Diamondbacks unless they trade him this offseason.”
Montgomery’s steep decline is something the Diamondbacks have overcome so far. Still just 31 years old, Montgomery has a chance to rehabilitate his value over the next couple of years if given the opportunity.
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