For much of the 2023-24 offseason, the Texas Rangers and the Boston Red Sox have been believed to be the ideal destinations for Jordan Montgomery.
But it was also long believed that the Rangers did not have the money to offer Montgomery the contract he'd been seeking. Texas had issues negotiating its TV rights deal for the upcoming season. With distractions in their way and not much money to spend, Montgomery fell out of favor with the Rangers.
Last night, the Rangers made a cheaper move to help resolve their pitching woes. They signed Michael Lorenzen for tens of millions less than Montgomery was asking for — he signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal with $2.5 million in bonuses available.
The Red Sox could've signed Lorenzen and he would have fit in with their model. He can serve as a starting pitcher or a reliever, like a fair few of Boston's rotation options. He would have offered manager Alex Cora flexibility with the roster and he could serve as a veteran presence to mentor Boston's young staff.
But now that Texas' pitching needs have been filled by Lorenzen, Montgomery is left on the market, waiting for someone to offer him the exorbitant amount of time and money he's been asking for. The Red Sox continue to acknowledge their pitching needs while remaining firmly in denial that they can fix their issues without spending any money.
ICYMI: The Rangers signed a pitcher last night, and no, it wasn’t Jordan Montgomery. https://t.co/HvbGvZsSok
— Michael Bier (@MichaelJBier) March 21, 2024
Enter the New York Yankees. Boston's rival has reportedly reopened discussions with their former pitcher Montgomery after missing out on free agent Blake Snell. Gerrit Cole is expected to miss a few months of the season with elbow issues and Montgomery would surely uplift New York's rotation in his stead.
MLB insider Jon Heyman reported the re-initiation of contact between the Yankees and Montgomery and he stated that neither party is the other's first choice when it comes to a deal. But desperate times call for desperate measures — unless it's the Red Sox and creating a starting rotation out of four relievers is an option.
The Rangers' latest signing could be a promising sign for the Red Sox in their pursuit of Jordan Montgomery... if the Yankees stay out of it.
The Rangers being out of the race to sign Montgomery may bode well for Boston. There were few other teams interested in the pitcher throughout the winter but the Red Sox seemed to be one of Montgomery's top choices for a contract.
If the Yankees make Montgomery a deal, the Red Sox should match it. Not only would it give them a chance to stick it to their arch-rival, but if Montgomery would rather play in Boston than New York, he could jump on the offer.
Based on the deals Snell and the rest of Scott Boras' clients have signed this spring, Montgomery may accept an offer that could keep the Sox under the luxury tax for the coming season with the possibility of avoiding a long-term deal that Boston seems to be so afraid of.
Reporters have said it for months on end and the point still stands just one week from Opening Day — the Red Sox should sign Montgomery because they promised fans a competitive season and the match just makes sense. Time is running out to make good on their words.