“I think they just feel like he’s the guy that they are really targeting.”
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The Red Sox are interested in Jordan Montgomery of the Rangers, one of the American-born free agents, according to MLB.com’s Ian Browne on the “ITM Podcast.” Montgomery is one of several excellent starting pitchers in the class of free agents, including Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola and NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell.
Browne stated, “I’ve heard that the Red Sox like Montgomery more than they like Snell and more than they like Nola.”
The Red Sox have apparently spoken to Montgomery’s agent previously in November, so this isn’t the first time the two have been associated this offseason. Thanks to his role in the Rangers’ World Series run, Montgomery gained some notoriety and rose to the top of the free-agent pitcher ranks.
According to Browne, “I think they just feel like he’s the guy that they are really targeting.” “He may be a little more underappreciated, but he did, undoubtedly, increase in value during the playoffs—almost like Derek Lowe in 2004.”
Montgomery was dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals ahead of the 2022 trade deadline after starting his career with the New York Yankees, the Red Sox’s bitterest rival. Before being traded to the Rangers before the trade deadline, he started the 2023 season with the Cardinals, posting a 3.42 ERA and a 1.248 WHIP in 121 innings pitched.
After finishing the season with a 2.79 ERA and a 1.094 WHIP, Montgomery emerged as a key player in the Rangers’ postseason triumph. Key Rangers victories, including those in Games 1 and 7 of the ALCS, which helped propel the team to the World Series, came from several of his mound appearances.
This winter, Montgomery is expected to sign a five-year deal worth roughly $106 million, according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel. The Red Sox have the second-best odds to sign him (+550), only behind the Rangers (+450), according to DraftKings.
Naturally, there is no assurance that Montgomery will join the Red Sox. However, it seems that they will strive to put in the work necessary to sign him.
“You can’t really say, ‘Oh, [the Red Sox are] going to do this, this, and this offseason,” Browne stated. “It will be interesting to observe how things transpire, but they definitely need a front-line pitcher—ideally two of them.”