Jordan Montgomery moves to the bullpen, says ‘obviously Boras ruined his free agency’

Jordan Montgomery’s disappointing season with the Arizona Diamondbacks has hit another hurdle. D-backs manager Torey Lovullo announced Friday that Montgomery is moving to the bullpen, according to the Arizona Republic. Right-hander Ryne Nelson, who has a 2.82 ERA in his last eight games, will remain in the rotation.

“(Nelson) has been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball, not just the National League, from July 1 until now,” Lovullo said on Friday (via the Arizona Republic). “I didn’t want to run away from that.”

Montgomery signed a one-year, $25 million contract with the D-backs at the end of spring training and has been unable to get his season back on track. His ERA is 6.44 in 19 starts, and the last time the typically weak Miami Marlins lineup pitched he allowed six runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings. Six times in 19 starts, Montgomery has given up at least six runs.

Montgomery helped the Texas Rangers win their first World Series a year ago, and was expected to receive a nine-figure contract as a free agent in the winter. Instead, he remained unsigned until late March, along with fellow Scott Boras clients Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman and Blake Snell. Boras was fired shortly after Montgomery signed a contract with Arizona,

“I had a Zoom call with (the Boston Red Sox during free agency). That’s all I know. It went well,” Montgomery said Friday (via the Boston Herald ). “I don’t know. Obviously Boras screwed it up, so I’m just trying to move on from the offseason and forget about it.”

All four members of the “Boras Four” started the season slow, but Bellinger, Chapman, and Snell have been much better over the last few weeks. Bellinger has regained his power stroke after returning from a broken finger, Chapman’s all-around game has been great over the last four months, and Snell has been one of the best pitchers in baseball after returning from a groin injury.

Missing spring training is disruptive, no doubt about it, but it’s still the middle of August. Montgomery has made 19 starts. He should have gotten his season back on track by now. At some point the blame for Montgomery’s poor season shifts from Boras ruining his free agency to Montgomery himself. Bellinger, Chapman and Snell stepped it up. Why didn’t Montgomery do the same?

Montgomery’s contract includes a player option for 2025 that is almost certain to be exercised. It’s worth $22.5 million right now, and could rise to $25 million if he makes four more starts. Given Montgomery’s (and Nelson’s) performance, a move to the bullpen makes sense. The D-backs are in the NL West race and need their five best starters in the rotation.

Eduardo Rodriguez and Merrill Kelly recently returned after long absences due to injury. They both join Nelson, Zac Gallen and Brandon Pfadt in the rotation. Montgomery has made three relief appearances in his big league career – once in 2019 and then once each in the 2022 and 2023 postseasons.

The D-backs will begin a three-game series with the Red Sox at Fenway Park on Friday. They are 72-56 and four games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Arizona holds the top wild-card spot and is five games ahead of a postseason berth.

A year ago, the 31-year-old Montgomery had a 3.20 ERA in 32 starts for the St. Louis Cardinals and Rangers. He then threw 31 innings with a 2.90 ERA in the postseason.