Evan Grant reported early Wednesday morning that the Texas Rangers are bringing back left-handed pitcher Jordan Montgomery on a 1-year deal worth $1.25 million. Montgomery played a pivotal role in the Rangers’ 2023 playoff run, which ultimately led to the franchise’s first World Series Championship.
The 33-year-old southpaw is recovering from his second career Tommy John surgery and is not expected to return until around the All-Star break. He could be a viable option as either a starter or a long reliever, depending on the status of the Rangers’ rotation at the time of his arrival.
Montgomery enjoyed the best years of his career from 2021 to 2023, during which he posted a sub-4.00 ERA in three consecutive seasons and started more than 30 games each year. His best season was 2023, when he finished the regular season with a 3.20 ERA in 32 starts and 188 2/3 innings pitched. That year culminated in a second-half stint with Texas after he was dealt at the trade deadline. In that brief stint, Montgomery recorded a 2.79 ERA in 11 starts.
He continued his strong performance into the postseason, starting the opening game and setting the tone by firing seven innings of shutout baseball against Tampa Bay. He finished the playoffs with a 2.90 ERA in five starts, including an additional relief appearance in Game 7 of the ALCS vs Houston.
However, his career has been anything but smooth sailing since then. He will be looking to get back on track once fully recovered from surgery. In 2024, he signed a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks that included a vesting option for the following season. Montgomery pitched only 117 innings that season, posting an abysmal 6.23 ERA and experiencing a 5.8 percent decrease in his strikeout rate from the previous season.
Montgomery exercised his option for 2025, but his season was cut short due to discomfort in spring training. He later learned he had a fully torn UCL, requiring his second career Tommy John surgery in late March.
There is likely a level of comfort for Montgomery returning to a place where his career saw significant success in a short amount of time. He will look to replicate that once his rehabilitation is complete, aiming for a mid-season return.