There are several moments or players you could point to as reasons the Diamondbacks aren’t competing in a Wild Card series against the Brewers this week. However, the one that stands out the most is Jordan Montgomery, who signed a $25 million deal with Arizona just before the season began.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!After the Diamondbacks were officially eliminated from postseason contention, team owner Ken Kendrick appeared on the Burns & Gambo show, where he took responsibility for Montgomery’s signing. Kendrick didn’t mince words, calling it his, “biggest mistake,” saying, “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.” He continued with, “If anyone wants to blame anyone for Jordan Montgomery being a Diamondback, you’re talking to the guy that should be blamed.”
"If anyone wants to blame anyone for Jordan Montgomery being a Diamondback, you're talking to the guy that should be blamed."
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
— The Burns & Gambo Show (@BurnsAndGambo) October 1, 2024
At the start of the season, there was hope that Arizona’s rotation, featuring Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Jordan Montgomery, and Brandon Pfaadt, would be one of the best in the league. On paper, it was a strong group. However, things quickly unraveled. Kelly missed significant time with an injury, Rodriguez was out for nearly the entire season, and Montgomery struggled so much he was demoted to the bullpen, becoming a liability rather than an asset.
The Diamondbacks finished with the fifth-worst team ERA in the league, and Montgomery played a significant role in that, posting a career-worst 6.23 ERA. His struggles culminated in two late-season losses that were crucial to the team’s collapse.
Montgomery does have a $22.5 million player option that he could exercise to stay in Arizona one more year. However, given Kendrick’s comments, it appears that he will be heading elsewhere this offseason.
