The Red Sox have been continually connected to free agent Jordan Montgomery as he has remained unsigned throughout the offseason, but without a deal seeming close to fruition. Jon Heyman of The New York Post reports today that the two sides have stayed in contact but that the lefty is looking for a seven-year deal that the club is unwilling to give.
There are arguments for and against the Red Sox making a huge splash to improve the rotation at this point. From the start of the offseason, upgrading the starting staff has been a priority but the club hasn’t done it. They traded away Chris Sale and then signed Lucas Giolito, which amounted to something close to a lateral move, depending how one feels about those two pitchers. But it was recently reported that Giolito has a partial tear of his UCL and a flexor strain. The next steps still aren’t known but season-ending surgery is a possibility.
If Giolito is out of commission, then the Sox are essentially going into the season with the same rotation as last year but without Sale. Nick Pivetta struggled enough last year to get bumped to the bullpen, though he did finish the year strong. Brayan Bello had a decent year and the club clearly believes in him, since they just signed him to an extension, but he seemed to run out of gas late in the year and the low strikeout rate is still a bit of a concern. Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock are talented arms to fill out the rest of the staff but those three are still not fully established as starters, with none of that trio having hit 130 innings in a big league season. Cooper Criswell, Brandon Walter and Chris Murphy are on the 40-man as depth but no one in that group has 50 big league innings pitched yet.
Adding someone like Montgomery would be a clear upgrade, both this year and in the future. He has thrown 524 1/3 innings over the past three seasons with a 3.48 earned run average. He tossed another 31 frames in last year’s postseason with a 2.90 ERA, forming a key part of the Rangers’ World Series championship club. Pivetta is slated for free agency after 2024, so the need for rotation help should be even greater a year from now.
But the flip side of the argument is that the Sox may want to wait to put another big contract on their books. They are considered by many observers to be the weakest club in the American League East. The club’s lack of activity this offseason suggests they may view things similarly. Perhaps they don’t want to commit a huge pile of money to Montgomery when they don’t have faith in their current squad.
When a club signs a player to a long-term deal, they generally expect to recoup the most value in the early years when the player is still relatively close to their prime, and clubs are also aware that the later years might be a bit more painful. If the Sox don’t think they have a path to contention right now, perhaps they don’t have much desire to get a deal done with the 31-year-old Montgomery.
Instead, they could use 2024 as a year to evaluate younger players like Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Vaughn Grissom, Kyle Teel, Nick Yorke, Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony and others. They could trade impending free agents like Pivetta, Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin and Tyler O’Neill this year to further stock up on young talent, then decide on the best time to make a big strike in the future. They could bolster the rotation in the short-term by signing someone like Michael Lorenzen or Jake Odorizzi.
RosterResource currently lists their competitive balance tax figure as $211MM, which is $26MM below this year’s base threshold of $237MM. They could fit in a big deal for someone like Montgomery without going over the line but it would be fairly close. Next year’s CBT number, on the other hand, is only at $133MM. That doesn’t include raises for arbitration-eligible players but the appetite for a giving out a big contract might be higher going forward than it is now.
For Montgomery, the fact that he is still unsigned as we approach the middle of March suggests that no club has met his asking price yet. It’s understandable that he is looking to maximize his guarantee here this winter, as he is coming off a great season and just helped the Rangers win the World Series.
This winter’s market has forced some other free agents to pivot to short-term deals, most notably Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman. Those two, like Montgomery and Blake Snell, are all represented by the Boras Corporation. Boras clients have generally had a stronger willingness to wait out the market than players with other agencies. But Bellinger and Chapman didn’t find the long-term deals they were seeking and pivoted to shorter pacts with opt-outs that will allow them to return to free agency next winter or the one after that. Reporting has suggested Snell is willing to do the same.
Montgomery may be less inclined to do so, however, since he didn’t receive a qualifying offer at the start of this offseason. Players traded midseason are ineligible to receive a QO and Montgomery was flipped from the Cardinals to the Rangers prior to the deadline. That means he can currently be signed without the club forfeiting any draft picks or international bonus pool money. If he were to pivot to a short-term deal with opt-outs, he would be highly likely to receive a QO whenever he decided to return to the open market, which would put a damper on his earning power at that point. He would also obviously be older and therefore less likely to find a club willing to make a long-term commitment to him.
It’s theoretically possible that he could sign a short-term deal and then be traded at midseason again, though he wouldn’t be able to control that. Clubs are also fairly unwilling to acquire such contracts at the deadline, as they would be taking on the downside of being committed to the player for many years if they got hurt and decided not to trigger their opt-out.
With Montgomery seemingly sticking to his seven-year ask, it suggests he and his reps are perhaps aware that the he is a less viable fit for the pivot to a short-term pact than Bellinger, Chapman or Snell. But he hasn’t found the right deal yet and time will tell if he does end up getting it.
7 years? Well no wonder no one has signed him. Don’t get me wrong… I think he’s going to be a good get for whoever signs him, but I can’t imagine any team is particularly comfortable signing a 31 year old SP to a 7 year deal
I was thinking the same thing. Five or after that the AAV drops.
Five feels like the most Monty will get.
dewey – Asking for 7 years means he will likely settle for 6 years. All the Sox would need to do is make the 6th year an option that vests if he pitches at least 300 innings the prior two seasons or something like that. It’s not hard to meet at middle ground, if the Sox are serious about signing him.
Fever, agreed but this feels like a trial I’m presently monitoring. It was thought the case was settled last week for $2.5m and now they want $5m “in his pocket”, meaning $8m overall after paying back liens. Can’t negotiate unless the sides really understand the market place. In my situation a jury is likely to set the price. With free agents there is no actual third party to determine fair compensation even if the parties want to strike a deal (they only want to on their terms: sort of like arguing with the wife…).
Maybe, but if he’s looking for something like $35m a year the Red Sox may be checking in, but are in more of ‘sure, sure, let us know when you get serious’ mode among themselves.
Unless he’s also looking for 6/160M with that option. He’s a borderline #2 pitcher. He was last year, but never was close to that the previous 4 years.
He’s not getting 5 at this point. The market has spoken. Teams are tired of long term contracts with pitchers that are sidelined for half the life of the contract. Montgomery is a solid addition to a staff but he’s a number 3 starter.
He’ll get 3 years with an option year and maybe he’ll get opt out rights. If any team gives him longer they will likely regret it.
Except as the article points out this is the biggest driving factor:
“When a club signs a player to a long-term deal, they generally expect to recoup the most value in the early years when the player is still relatively close to their prime, and clubs are also aware that the later years might be a bit more painful. If the Sox don’t think they have a path to contention right now, perhaps they don’t have much desire to get a deal done with the 31-year-old Montgomery.”
The rest of the pieces aren’t in place for the big splash move. Locking into even 5 years on Montgomery when the first couple will be a struggle to be competitive and then he’ll be starting his declining years after that makes no sense. Wait, keep the powder dry as they say, and be ready for the big move when the rest of the team is ready for it.
Ken – Right now the Red Sox are the 2nd-youngest team in MLB. Which means the pieces are in place.
They have young and experienced players at nearly every position. It’s only their bullpen that’s old (Hendricks, Jansen, Martin).
If you’re implying they should put everything on hold until kids like MAT have all become established MLB players, that’s a really poor plan. You’re assuming they all eventually will, you know what they say about assuming.
If you’re saying ownership has no desire to compete for many years, well then that’s different and justifiable.
Just like the 140M they spent on Trevor Story.
I’m not a Story fan, great in the field and bad at the plate. SOS are his problem.
Box – Yes, Bloom’s worst of many bad moves. Banking on a guy with an existing injury and years of steady offensive decline.
We get it obviously but to front office lackeys on here they try to use that argument that the first few years are the most important then turn around and make the opposite argument. Basically they’ll argue whatever narrative their pushing currently. They’ve simply just had to change the name to Breslow since their prior “front office savior” got fired.
Too funny.
35? Lol no not close
Four years at 25 million per year, followed by two years at 17 million per year, totals six years at $134 million, with an opt-out after the fourth year and after the fifth year, and a no-trade clause for the first four years. Enough time for his spouse to finish her residency. Mr. LaForge, make it so.
22.33m a year for a guy whose last 3 seasons would fit nicely into the late prime of an average HOF SP? Good luck with that one, friend.
What do people think a 125 ERA+ is good for? Free tickets to the matinee?
In fact its the average quality stat for a typical HOFer who goes enough innings. And that doesn’t even factor in JM’s postseason success.
Jack
You are arguing what he deserves. I am suggesting the deal that he might be able to get from Boston. Between cable revenue and the late date, I doubt he can get more than I suggest on a six year deal. I do think he can get a higher AAV on 3-4 years.
But you are correct about one thing – I do not think hall of fame pitcher when I think Jordan Montgomery. I think clutch number two, nothing more, nothing less.
I’ve said it before. He reminds me of Andy Pettitte. A “#2” that pitched in the bigger game.
Residencies can transfer from hospital to hospital. Homeboy needs to get his girl in check, because she definitely isn’t the one making 20 million dollars a year.
Ted-Theo-Log
Misogynist
Maybe Jordan and McKenzie base their relationship on mutual respect
To me, Monty is my 2024 Bruce Hurst.
Being in the medical field, she picked where she is to get the best experience, you can not swap that out with a blink of the eye.
Seven years is four too many.
W
Wife sounds like a “Real go-getter” maybe he should just retire, become a stay at home dad & let her foot the bills. Who needs’em. Ahahaha!
Montgomery wasn’t that good with the nyy, then faded after starting off strong with the Cards. Then he goes to Texas and pitches great. I think he’s a one-team pitcher. He should go crawling back to the Rangers, accept a 2/25 contract and try to get another ring.
avenger – Where do you get such ridiculously false information from?
Here’s a website you need to familiarize yourself with, it will help prevent you from making mistakes like that:
baseball-reference.com/players/m/montgjo01.shtml
Now if you look at that link, you’ll see in 2022 he had a 3.48 ERA between the Yanks and Cards. Then a 3.42 ERA with the Cards last year.
Again, over the past three years his ERA has gone steadily down and his IP has gone steadily up. To say he wasn’t that good other than with Texas is beyond silly.
Fever: In what universe is .42 a good ERA? Maybe you should educate yourself on what a good ERA is
avenger – Nobody in the history of baseball has had a .42 ERA.
Fact is, only 20 pitchers have thrown at least 500 innings during the past three seasons and of those Montgomery has the 11th-lowest ERA.
Fact is, only 19 pitchers have thrown at least 350 innings during the past two seasons and of those Montgomery has the 9th-lowest ERA.
Those are the ONLY two things that really matter when it comes to rating starting pitchers, ERA and Innings Pitched.
Run Prevention and Durability …. Monty is Top Eleven whether you go back 2 years or 3 years.
There are 30 teams in MLB, Monty would be the #1 SP on 23 MLB teams.
Fever. I’m old school and my eyes, he’s a valuable pitcher who seems so underappreciated in today’s game. Nothing flashy. Just what EVERY team needs. Problem is Boras overplayed his hand.
Exactly. Any team would love to have him but the hall of fame talk in some of these comments is completely ridiculous.
Montgomery wasn’t that good with the nyy,
==========================
He had a 3.94 ERA with the NYY, good for a 109 ERA+.
then faded after starting off strong with the Cards.
================================
He had a 3.11 ERA in 2022, and a 3.42 in 2023. Good for an ERA+ of 126 & 127., both excellent.
dewey – I agree with everything you wrote. Just because he’s a sinkerball pitcher with a 93MPH fastball who doesn’t strike out a lot of guys, the brainwashed tunnel visioned folks think he isn’t that good.
Results don’t matter to them, only peripherals. Very, very sad.
Monty was what the NYYs made him out to be. He’s a solid pitcher, my 2024 Bruce Hurst.
Nobody is giving this guy 7 years. He had 2 good months after the Yankees and Cardinals let him go. Buyer Beware.
Barry – See my comment above.
Name all the OTHER pitchers who had same or better numbers than Monty’s 3.34 ERA and 367 IP over the past two seasons.
Or name all the OTHER pitchers who had same or better numbers than Monty’s 3.48 ERA and 524 IP over the past three seasons.
Geez the nonsense being spewed here is worse than sports talk radio callers.
@Fever Pitch Guy Well said. After reading down a few more comments, I’m out. This is similar to the idiocy before Nimmo signed his 8 year deal, that he was ‘just a 4th OFer.’
A lot of Americans are too lazy to look up numbers. They hear what someone else says and repeat it.
Joe – So very true.
They want others to do everything for them.
Groupthink sheep mentality.
Just like hollywood, the music industry, etc they prefer to copy and repeat others instead of doing their own research and coming to their own conclusions.
I won’t make this political, but you probably know what else comes to mind.
Agree, I love the Sox to get him. I wanted him when the NYYs tossed him aside, now they wish they didn’t. He’s durable n a great fit for the Sox.
He just good at 31 yo. He’s never had a full season of merit. He’s been rocky his entire career. He pitches great for 1/2 a season and now he deserves a 7 year deal? GTFOOH
This is such a pathetic response. Monty is a very good pitcher who doesn’t deserve 7 years, but is still a very good pitcher.
Joe – Absolutely correct. As I said earlier, I bet Monty would accept one or two vesting option years rather than take a pillow contract. I’d give him 5 years guaranteed max.
You can’t blame Monty for starting @7 years and trying to get the biggest pot of money. Where he finally signs depends on his top priorities. Play for a winner? (he has 1 ring already), geographical/family preferences?, how many years he expects to keep playing? / assuming his arm/body holds up. IF I am the GM of BAL, BOS, StL, SF and possibly MN I would give him his 7 years but NO opt outs and serious deferred $ and backloaded. Call him what you want a #2 or #3 He IMHO is a SP that is a difference maker and can help win you a WS. He should be very good for at least 5 years and after that OK/serviceable etc. He could transition to the bullpen. Some LH’s are still effective into their age 40’s
Ya – I would think a guy who already has a ring wouldn’t prioritize winning as much as guys who don’t have one. Comfort and money are probably his two biggest priorities.
what?, why would you think that?, after winning a championship and getting a taste of it I would think prioritize winning again, it’s like a drug and the reason you play the game to win, when you are making millions and millions of dollars, what’s the difference?, either way your family will be fine, meanwhile the thing you have worked your ass off and spent so much time since you were a child working on just to go I’ll take ten million more just to lose everyday? are you kidding?, I can’t imagine a player being interviewed after a WS win and going well now I’ve won the WS so I’m gonna cash in, no that never happens they always say how amazing it is and that they hope they can do it the next year
“John Heyman said….” (And everyone completely tunes everything else out)
But, 7 years, Monty?! C’mon big fella, read the room.
Boras keeps whispering sweet little lies into Monty’s ear if he is indeed looking for 7 years. I say 5, maybe six if he drops his AAV.
I agree, man. He’s been duped, I tell ya!
Yes. 6/135 nice guarantee thru age 36 season. If he’s not toast by end of that, it is an upset.
AAV not crazy for team.
He was a 5 year man in January. Now it’s a 3 year deal. Red Soxes are not a solid #2-3 away from contention.
I’m such a koi. I click on the same article over and over and over
How does that make you a koi? Fish don’t even have fingers, how can they click on anything?
7 years? He must be crazy!
“7 years he must be crazy”..Monty has bought into all this “ace” talk and has forgotten that he’s only 1 year+ removed from being traded for an injury-prone CF, because the Yankees thought he wasn’t a playoff caliber pitcher.
The Yankees were wrong then but so is Monty and Boras if they truly are holding out for seven years.
Boras completely messed this up for Montgomery. Not that I care one way or the other. This is lunacy for expecting teams to commit to 7 years for a 31 year old pitcher. About as crazy to pay $40+M/yr to 40+ year old pitchers.
All because Scott Borasssss ‘thinks’ it’s appropriate.
traded for an injury-prone CF
========================
The NYY being stupid doesn’t really have anything to do with us signing Monty.
Genius Cashman bid against himself & hardly any other teams to sign Rodon and his physical didn’t bring up any major concerns plus trying to get a sense of the psyche of the player to make a judgement if he can handle the toughest media scrutiny in MLB. It’s not like SF doesn’t have its share but not the same. What was he thinking? He had Monty and he had bad judgement on how he filled an important need along with Cole and others. NYY should have changed GMs at least 3 years. He could have been kept around as some kind of advisor.
Joe – I’m cracking up laughing here!
Montgomery has a 3.17 ERA in 43 starts since the Yanks traded him.
“No, no, no …. that means nothing. He sucks, he has to suck because the Yankees thought he was worse than an injury-prone CF who has a 0.5 WAR since the trade!”
And don’t you think Monty remembers his trade for an injured player? I think he remembers he was tossed aside.
Wouldn’t a player just look for a one year deal at this stage of spring training and try again next year?
There will be glut of f/a starting pitchers seemingly better than he is.
aragon – Where do you get such blatantly false information from?
Next offseason’s pitcher market will be very, very limited.
Burnes
Fried
Buehler
Bieber
Unless you want to sign Scherzer for his Age 40 season or Verlander for his Age 42 season.
Fever – Thank you. This whole idea that next year will be better is so bogus. Next year, Burnes will re-sign with BAL especially after they go to the ALCS. Fried will re=sign with ATL. Buehler will re-sign with LAD and be paid after 2050 and Bieber’s fastball will be back and all the Red Sox fans that poo=poo’d my suggestion to trade for him will realize how incredibly stupid they are. A NY team will sign Bieber in a year.
NO, it’s not better next year. Scherzer and Verlander will be unlikely to find $40MM per year but BOS won’t be signing them to a short term deal. The NY teams will be the primary ones in on them next year.
Add Snell as he opting out on his next deal
I don’t see Fries signing w/Atl. He’s looking at 6/220M in FA.
But even a one year deal isn’t the most desirable to both sides at this point.
Players, especially SP, who basically miss ST are slower to join their respective teams to begin the year as they ramp up, and, even then, tend to be less productive than usual.
Then on the player contract side, a guy like Montgomery is already 31 and managed to dodge QO status thus far. A 1 year deal this year puts him facing age 32 WITH a QO attached, meaning in many cases pillow deals of either 1 year or with an opt out, meaning his next unencumbered opportunity as a FA would be age 33!
Montgomery’s stuff has never been good enough to expect him to be a high level performer in his late 30s, so, his best earning years ought to be the next 3 of his career, with a tailing downwards after that. Wasting 2 or 3 of those seasons waiting to be an unencumbered FA are a bad choice. He’d be better off taking a 5 or 6 year deal now if it’s on the table, then if a team wanted to QO him on the tail end of that take the money and stay
That thought process will keep him unsigned. No one is giving him 5/6 year deal.
Wasting? If he signs a one-year pillow contract for, say, $25 million, and then gets and accepts a qualifying offer, he’ll earn around $20,000 next year. That’s not “wasting” anything, if it’s an alternative to the nothing he’s earning right now.
realsox – PItchers get hurt. It’s an axiom of the game. He may get less years than he wants but he won’t be sitting out the season. Texas has already put a 1 or 2 years deal on the table as a fall back for him.. It’s just a question of whether anyone will step up and sign him long-term after a key injury to a critical pitcher on their staff.
Monty will be 32 tjhis season no way he doing short term with opt out. 5 yrs at the most puts him through age 36 season
QO is why. This is his golden ticket year.
7 years @ $13m per!
I’d do 7/125 that’s 17.8m per, settling on 7/120 and getting him in ST, though he pitched deep into Oct, and could use the ST rest, as long as he’s signed soon. Rodon got 7/162 or something ridiculous, he was probably using that as some kinda comp.
Rodon, yeah that contract should have opened eyes for some (probably not Cashman) of MLB GMs. EXPECTING 7 years for a SP at31 years old is just plain stupid.
5/110 is fair for Monty
Four? Do I hear four? Three? Anyone for three?
Even Rangers fans would like sideways at a 7 year deal. Monty is very good but he’s not great. He doesn’t have the stuff like Cole, nor the durability and consistency of guys like Wheeler & Nola.
And an injury isn’t just gonna make something happen. A spring training injury just doesn’t make a team pivot and say, let’s sign this #3 starter with #2 upside that has had a number of previous injuries to a 7 year contract entering his age 31 season after he’s had 3 decent years and 1 great postseason run.
Doesn’t have the durability or consistency?
What are you talking about?
It’s just what I said, he hasn’t been on the level of Wheeler or Nola. Let’s take Wheeler out of it because there were legit questions about if he turned the corner health wise when he hit FA. But in the last 5 years, he and Gerrit Cole have been the best pitchers in baseball and Wheeler leads all pitchers in fWAR since he signed with Philly in 2020.
It was said back in November that Monty saw himself on the contract level of Nola. They both became full-time starters back in 2017 throwing 25+ starts. Since that time, Nola has spent all of 15 days on the IL once. He’s thrown nearly twice the amount of innings as Montgomery and he’s posted better numbers in nearly all categories since. This year was the first time Monty ever eclipsed 180 innings. Outside of the Covid year, Nola has only failed to surpass 180 once and that was 2017 when they were monitoring his innings. ERA+ is in Monty’s favor but Nola has over the course of the last 7-8 years been the superior and more reliable pitcher.
This past year Monty had a better season than Nola. But a large part of that could also be chalked up to Nola’s struggles with the pitch clock. Nola is known to be one of the slowest workers in baseball pre clock. And he struggled with the pace of it (especially with runners on). Around mid-June he finally adjusted to the past and put up some of the best numbers in baseball afterward. If he put up those same numbers at the beginning of the season he probably would’ve been in the CYA conversations.
The point is that Heyman reported that Monty saw himself as equal or better than Nola in terms of a contract. If Heyman said it, Boras is also saying it. And based on their careers so far, Monty is the inferior pitcher to Nola. Hell, you can even argue that Nola got too much. But that situation was different than Monty’s. Where Nola is the best homegrown arm in Philly since WS MVP Cole Hamels, they’re in the middle of contending window, and we’re looking to lockup their long time ace to a contract that he would retire in their uniform.
You can probably make some sort of argument projecting their future value and giving Monty a big deal. But in terms of past performance, Nola is the better pitcher. Monty had a very good run as the #1 for the Rangers and helped them win it all this past year. But it took a career year from him to post the numbers he did.
Nola got a home town bonus. He was paid a bit more because of underpaid past performance. Even if Nola doesn’t pitch another inning. Philly got their value from him.
Montgomery and Snell don’t have that luxury.
How bout 3 years guaranteed then 4 mutual options lol
Heck,give him 7 years.His contract and Devers contract should lead the Sox to the World Series title.
I always thought five years was the sweet spot for him. Seven is clearly too many
What a goober. 7 years, can you be less able to read the room?
If Montgomery was THAT good, he wouldn’t still be available.
It makes me wonder just how detailed the physicals are when a player signs a contract? Are there no MRI involved?
Just the player urinate in a cup, say
“I’m in the greatest shape of my life” and then told he is done?
Teams flag concerns in pre-draft physicals sometimes, why not now? Is it a CBA thing?
Seven years for an SP is extremely risky for any team.
Five years, player option after year two, team option with buyout after year four. Maybe negotiate for team options in years six and seven after that. That’s in the realm of possibilities.
7 years…. Uncontrollable laughter
Too many words to say, the Red Sox and Montgonery aren’t anywhere close to a deal…
Monty looking four score and seven years.
Im all for getting what you “think your worth” and Ive always been a Monty fan, but cripes guy! How bout a 3-5yr max. The hot dogs, with kraut n mustard are getting a little steep!
I’m thinking 3 years max for Montgomery and two mutual options.
I wouldn’t give any pitcher anymore than a 3 year deal with options or opt outs that would make it potentially a 5 year deal. 3 years 60 million and then 2 years at maybe 15 million ??
He was never getting 7 years, from anyone, anywhere.
That said, since this is coming from Heyman it’s about time that Mystery team steps up
Imagine no one is signing Snell or Montgomery….
I side with the Red Sox 100%. Don’t sign this guy for 7 years. That’s ludicrous. Can’t blame the Sox for not buying at that deal.
3 yrs topps
MLBTR predicted 6 years, $150M. Now I think you’d be closer to 4 years, $90-100M and maybe an opt out on the third year. He’s not elite, although he is good, and he’s in his 30s, so that guarantee means a lot.
He wants 7 years, sure, give him a contract for 7 years with a total value of $120 million and see if he signs. The 7 years would actually lower the AAV so it wouldn’t impact teams as badly.
My bet is he probably would, and baring injury someone would have a decent starter locked up for 7 years.
I can’t believe guys like this, highly tuned and competitive athletes, are content at sitting at home and watching the season, and his contract, fly by. I would drop Boras and go get a contract by myself. Take the $100M for 5 yrs or whatever and get on the damn field!! Stop being selfish and go help a team…you’ll get paid. Jeesh already.
Jordan Montgomery stated in an interview, he had no desire to resign with the Cardinals.
Montgomery was spoiled by a Texas World Series Ring. And why wouldn’t he be?
Historic Franchises, but—- The Cardinals are no longer winners. Neither are the Red Sox. Montgomery nor Snell will sign a short term deal with a team —- not geared to Winning or making a run through the playoffs.
Boras ruined Kimbrell and Kuechel’s careers by shooting for the moon on salaries and not negotiating a deal of any sort.
Montgomery and Snell better wake up.
Both Kimbrel and Keuchel had to wait until the draft to be signed during their free agency. Boras cost them money.
No one wants to play in Missouri if they have a choice.
It is March 8th and both Monty and Snell are still unsigned. At this point, the players may need to grow a pair and start making decisions for themselves. If Monty asking for 7 years is accurate I can only imagine what Snell’s asking price is.
Scott boras overplayed his hand so badly this offseason. With the TV uncertainty, this wasn’t the year to hold for top dollar. It’s not going to come.
Snell & Monty should take a bellinger style deal. High AAV with out opts after year 1 & 2.
Monte was good with the Cardinals but not an ace. I think he let Boras convince him that the run he went on with Texas would lead to someone paying him like an ace.
“Hell, I know I’m a prima donna, I admit it. What I can’t stand about Monty is he won’t admit it”
The Red Sox are cheap idiots if they don’t even try the same deals Bellinger and Chapman got. Heck, even three years guaranteed at $30 mil per still puts them WELL under the luxury tax and gives them a proven above average starter.
sox are punting AGAIN in 2024
7 years LOL. Read the room, my dude.
7 years?? To quote the late Nell Carter: “Gimme a Break”
If he wants 7 years why don’t they just sign Snell instead?
Qualifying offer attached to Snell…. cost them a draft pick.
Cooper – At this point, is a draft pick significant? The last good draft pick was made by DD!!!!
Why not sign Clevinger and Bauer for much less and get 2 for 1? Because they are dumb and cheap.
Well, the dumb fits Clevinger and Bauer.
sox would be interested in Montrgomery if he was willing to sign a 1-2 yr deal for about 10-12 million per. otherwise they will just keep scouring the BBB Bin
Boras can easily make a case that Jordan is better than Zack and therefore should get 350 million for 7 years
Like he did with Ollie Perez and the Mets many years ago
2009 3 year contract 36 million and he was a flop
Wanting 7 years at age 31 explains why he isn’t signed. Even 6 is too many for a guy who is good but not elite and maybe even 5.
Is Bello on the IL yet?
I’d call Boras immediately and say, here’s your seven year contract….
with CLUB opt outs after year 4, 5, and 6.
The entire world just saw Breslow make an unnecessary bad deal with Bello. Why in the world would Boras come with anything less than a dagger to the heart fo Breslow since he’s proven to be an idiot. It’s perfectly acceptable to think this moron will do a 7 year $175MM contract with no team opt outs. It would still be a better deal than Devers’, Story’s or Yoshida’s!!!! If not for the years, it would be better than GIolito’s, O’Neill’s and Grissom’s as well. The bar is set very low right now. 7/$175MM is completely reasonable compared to what has been done since DD got fired. Like the Bello deal, it ruins the future for no reason. At least Monty has some past performances to trend unlike Bello.
$25MM per year also fits perfectly in the new paradigm for payroll spending going forward!!
he’ll remain unsigned until after the all-star break
Darragh just said it in a nutshell.
Now watch Chris Sale win a cy and go to the World Series
Red Sox and their Climate change communist owners can have each other.
took longer than expected for someone to shoehorn in a stupid political take.
He is massively overrated. Never won more than 10 games in a season his whole career.A contract disaster waiting to happen.
I thought for a second redsox were being cheap. Nope. This is ridiculous
What a disaster!!! Here is the payroll forecast –
C – Haven’t over spent yet but any moment Breslow will offer Teel 15 years for $150MM
1B – Breslow is preparing a 10 year $100MM contract for Casas
2B – Grissom is on the verge of receiving a 10/$65MM contract
SS – Story is still owned $23.3MM for 4 more years and before that contract is up Breslow will contract Mayer 10/$100MM minimizing the over lap to just 2 years!!!
3B – Breslow thinks we should extend the Devers deal to 15 years and up the AAV since it’s not like he’s going to get worse on defense!!
LF – Yoshida is still owed 4 years of $18MM to co-DH with Devers
CF – Duran is next to sign an extension for 10/$75MM
RF – Breslow wanted to get a jump on things so he’s prepared to pay Anthonly 12 years $420MM because he thinks he’ll be as good as Mookie.
It will be fun to see how close these guesses are as Breslow levels the available payroll for the next decade. He’s quite the compliment to the GM who leveled the talent. He’s leveling the available payroll so we can blame the owners for being cheap.
I think he’ll sign a three or four year deal with a bunch of opt outs. 3/70 or something like that
But wouldn’t you think that signing a 3-4 year deal, with opt outs, and knowing that even if moderately successful pitching wise you intend to opt out…just delays the same issues that he has now…..and he’ll be 1-2-3 years older asking for a multi year contract at $$$big money…..don’t see it….his play is right now for a multi year deal. Doubt he wants to pitch for a team in the midst of large roster changes now and coming which in the highly competitive AL East, may not spell playoffs now or in the next couple of years unless they have unbelievable luck…..
You have a point, I wouldn’t be shocked if he signs a longer deal., but he has to be getting antzy
Sox just move on! 7 years is nuts for a guy who has only had one good season.
If he would come down on his asking price , he’s a perfect fit for the philliles
I highly doubt any team will offer him 7, 6, or even 5 years. Even 4 might be on the high end. What is the guy gonna do, sit the season out if teams are only offering 3 or 4 year deals? He/Boras are not in the driver’s seat. He’s going to make zero dollars this year if he does not sign with somebody.
He might not sign until right before opening day, but I think he’ll eventually tell Boras to go F himself if he is being advised to hold out longer. I think he’ll sign a 3 or 4 year deal in the next couple weeks.
Agree 100% if Monty sits out a year he’ll fall off the planet…pitchers who are a fringe #2 solid #3 especially. He should make wife happy and match her years in Boston no opt outs and win a ring when the Sox add a few Aces next year or 2
Boras does well with elite players because they make it easier for him to execute his strategy. When it comes to the tiers below, if supply and demand isn’t a driver, then Boras isn’t very good. He has two pitchers that no one is willing to pay the price and had two of his hitters sign for deals they most likely weren’t too happy with. I wonder what will happen going forward if his strategy starts pushing current clients away or potential clients to other agencies.
@padam I think you’re probably right. Sometimes greed backfires. Nothing wrong with trying to get max value but in excess, it just creates bad karma. At the start of the winter some of his clients likely had better offers than what they were forced to settle for, after teams addressed their needs in other ways. Boras can’t have a good negotiating reputation among teams, many of whom are probably sick of dealing with him. I suspect he may wind up losing clients eventually.
Get Bauer and keep this circus going
Bauer im afraid won’t get a another contract again
With woke to a fault lib Henry?…sure lol He is guilty until proven innocent like the rest of the CNN sheep
another terrible political take shoehorned in the conversation. you should devote this energy toward actually boycotting the team instead of making fake claims and stupid political takes.
5 at 35 with a couple opt outs gets it done
Do you mean 5 year 35 million a year? That’s a ridiculous overypay no on and I mean no one is paying that.
Suck it up and take the L on Giolito (he was probably going to be negative value anyways) and sign Montgomery
Jordan stop smoking the Boras Crack and sign for 4 or 5 years…whatever your wife’s residence is in Boston and then decide where you’ll both live after that. You’re a solid #3 but 7 years are for Aces or Solid #2s dude…be real, get paid, pitch, maybe win another ring in those 4 or 5 years. Sign again…7 years not even the Redsox Boycotting Nation wants a 7 year deal lol…for Snell either…
It’s infuriating that the Yankees refuse to get creative with their contracts—offer Monty (or Snell for that matter) a 7-8 year $120-140M deal that’s heavily front loaded with a signing bonus and add an opt out.
It’s effectively a short term term deal for the FAs with some long term security for them if they go completely bust and it gives the Yankees a chance to save $ on luxury tax which is their primary concern.
Redsox aren’t cheap they are smart