The New York Yankees developed pitcher Jordan Montgomery, the starting pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks. After joining them for his Major League debut in 2017, he established himself as a valuable member of the rotation and remained in the Bronx until 2022, when he was traded for Harrison Bader, the center fielder.
Montgomery was strong with the 2023 World Series champions, pitching a 2.79 ERA in 67.2 frames during the regular season and shining in the postseason. Montgomery had successful stints with the St. Louis Cardinals (3.11 ERA in 2022 and 3.42 in 2023, before he was switched to the Texas Rangers).
He was in a great position to benefit from free agency, but his agent Scott Boras, in his own words, “kind of butchered it.” He consistently pursued clubs for outrageous contracts and shut many doors for Montgomery, one of which would have allowed him to rejoin the Yankees.
Ultimately, he agreed to a one-year, $25 million contract with the Snakes, which included a vesting option for 2025. He ruined his preparation by doing so in late March, skipping the entire spring training season. Because of this, Montgomery has a terrible 6.25 ERA and is currently a very expensive low-leverage reliever for Arizona.
The player may have been the reason for the “never engaged with them” aspect, but Boras is clearly involved. Who else was amenable to a four-year contract, do you know? The Yankees.
“Montgomery declined a $72 million, four-year deferred offer from the Yankees as well; Arizona’s agreement was likely superior. However, the MLB insider stated, “He probably could have made more money in Boston in retrospect.
Montgomery was among the numerous fans, experts, and even members of the baseball community who criticized Boras for the way he handled free agency with particular players. Yes, he will earn $25 million in 2024, but if it weren’t for his agent, he could have signed a longer, better contract.
Be the first to comment