A new report claims Jordan Montgomery preferred to play with the Texas Rangers this season, and it seems the team likely wanted him back but a boatload of lost revenue from their failed TV deal cost them a chance at re-signing a key member of their championship team.
Throughout the 2023 MLB season, the Rangers had a championship lineup as they bludgeoned their way to one of the best records in the American League. However, the big question was if they had a starting staff that could be the other half of a recipe to bring them their first World Series title
Big ticket free agent signing Jacob DeGrom suffered a season-ending injury early in the year, and then Max Scherzer battled issues with his health after they made a blockbuster trade with the Mets to bring him in for the stretch run. That is why Jordan Montgomery earned a special place in Texas Rangers lore.
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- Jordan Mongomery contract: One year, $25 million
After joining the team following a trade with the Cardinals before the deadline, the seven-year veteran posted a 4-2 record and a 2.47 ERA in 11 regular season starts. Although he had rough starts in the ALDS and World Series, he was fantastic in the Wild Card Round and scored not one but two huge wins over the Houston Astros in the ALCS.
That’s why it seemed like a no-brainer that the Rangers — a franchise known for spending big in free agency — would do what was necessary to re-sign him this offseason. However, as the months went by it seemed like he and the team never got close to a new contract, and he eventually signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks days before the start of the season.
In a new report from New York Post MLB insider Jon Heyman, it seems that the 31-year-old wanted to return to Texas but one specific issue hindered the organization from giving him the type of money he was looking for.
Lost TV revenue cost Jordan Montgomery a Texas Rangers return in 2024
“Montgomery could have gotten a longer deal from the Red Sox but didn’t want to go there, and was hoping Texas would give him the long deal until ownership decided against it late, likely related to the loss of their TV deal,” Heyman wrote.
The Texas Rangers were one of many teams affected by Diamond Sports — the parent company of Bally Sports Southwest — filing for bankruptcy in 2023. After coming to terms on a reworked contract, the team reportedly will earn anywhere from $11 to $20 million less this season.
- Jordan Montgomery stats (2023): 10-11 record, 3.20 ERA, 1.193 WHIP, 166 SO, 48 BB
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Furthermore, the situation that was recently resolved created uncertainty when it came to projecting the team’s revenue, which likely had a major effect on their willingness to give Jordan Montgomery a new long-term deal.
The Yankees and Cardinals veteran is set to become a free agent again next winter after signing a one-year deal with Arizona.