The owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t hold back when discussing the mistake he made giving a World-Series-winning pitcher to a high-priced contract.
Pitcher Jordan Montgomery signed a two-year, $47.5 million deal with the Diamondbacks late in free agency in March. He was looking to cash in after helping to lead the Texas Rangers to their first World Series championship in 2023, but deals never materialized.
Instead, he signed the contract, which included a second-year player option, and had one of the worst seasons of his career. Montgomery finished 8-7 with an MLB-worst 6.23 ERA and a -1.4 WAR. He was even bumped from the starting rotation in August and demoted to the bullpen.
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Montgomery was a Scott Boras client before dropping him this season. He pointed the finger at his former agent for the lack of deals that came his way in the offseason.
“I don’t know. Obviously, Boras kind of butchered it, so I’m just trying to move on from the offseason and try to forget it,” Montgomery told the Boston Herald in August.
Owner calls Jordan Montgomery’s signing a ‘horrible decision’
Speaking to Arizona Sports this week, Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick called Montgomery’s signing a “horrible decision” and he was the one to blame.
“Let me say it the best way I can say it: If anyone wants to blame anyone for Jordan Montgomery being a Diamondback, you’re talking to the guy that should be blamed because I brought it to their attention,” Kendrick said.
"If anyone wants to blame anyone for Jordan Montgomery being a Diamondback, you're talking to the guy that should be blamed."
— The Burns & Gambo Show (@BurnsAndGambo) October 1, 2024
D-backs managing general partner Ken Kendrick on the signing of Montgomery in the offseason.
Full interview: https://t.co/c9zHhCcebT pic.twitter.com/4wfNmwihSX
“I pushed for it. They agreed to it. It wasn’t in our game plan when he was signed right at the end of spring training, and looking back in hindsight, (it was) a horrible decision to have invested that money in a guy that performed as poorly as he did. It’s our biggest mistake this season from a talent standpoint, and I’m the perpetrator of that.”
Kendrick’s comments could make for an awkward interaction in the clubhouse next season. Montgomery has a $20-million player option, so it’s up to him if he’s going to stay in Arizona or not. It will be hard to see Montgomery getting that much money on the open market following the season he had.
The Diamondbacks failed to make it to the postseason after making it to the World Series last year, where they lost to Montgomery and the Rangers.