Rumors that the Red Sox have been in discussions with Jordan Montgomery and his agent Scott Boras have Boston fans clamoring for action.
The recent uptick in optimism among Red Sox Nation can likely be attributed to the Montgomery buzz. All offseason long, Boston fans and experts alike have said the Red Sox should sign the current World Series champion, and it finally felt like fans were being heard by the people in charge.
But the Sox are still waiting.
Montgomery is still unemployed for the coming season. And as his market drops for the Red Sox, it also drops for anyone else (are they not seeing that?). That could lead to a mad dash with Opening Day approaching. Many experts and reporters have theorized that the Mets should jump on the Montgomery bandwagon and make him an offer.
That is an assertion desperate Red Sox fans do not want to hear.
The Red Sox should sign Jordan Montgomery before another team makes a better offer
There are already other teams in the chase for Montgomery besides the Mets. On one of the latest installations of MLB insider Jon Heyman's live stream with Bleacher Report, he named the Red Sox, Cubs, Giants and Angels as teams still interested in the lefty. Less connected chatter has suggested the Orioles and Phillies could be involved as well.
The Mets are another beast entirely, though. New York showed last season that it isn't above spending insane amounts of money to field a winning team, however, its efforts were fruitless. There seems to have been a shift in priorities in the Mets front office after last year, as saving money on current contracts has become important. Montgomery would be far from the cheapest option to make the Mets' rotation better, but it could be viewed as a "discount" to Steve Cohen.
Why are the Red Sox still playing the waiting game with Jordan Montgomery? ⤵️ https://t.co/yqBGfPO81J
— The Athletic MLB (@TheAthleticMLB) February 28, 2024
With Kodai Senga out with a shoulder injury to begin the season, New York could certainly do with another arm to bolster the staff, at least for a bit. Red Sox fans who want Montgomery in Boston should be nervous.
The recent buzz about the Red Sox being in contact with Montgomery is a good reason for optimism among Boston fans. But the Sox have had public interest in other players before, only for them to be snatched away by another club that made a bigger offer. Making embarrassingly low offers to free-agent targets has become a running theme for the Red Sox, and if the front office wants Montgomery on the team, it can't afford for that pattern to continue.
Playing the waiting game only works for so long. The Red Sox have the money to sign Montgomery at any price and it could be the single move that saves the season in the eyes of some fans. If the front office has any interest in getting hometown fans through the gates at Fenway Park this season, they should make the move, and do it soon.