As Trade Deadline Approaches, Keep An Eye On Diamondbacks & Jordan Montgomery

Recently, there has been speculation amongst multiple insiders that the 31-35 Arizona Diamondbacks may look to move contracts if they continue to fall out of the National League West race.

The most interesting decision the Diamondbacks will have to make is about starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery, who was a list-minute signing amongst the Boras Four this past offseason. Montgomery, looking for a long-term deal over the winter, was forced to settle for a one-year contract with a player option for 2025.

What the Diamondbacks might find most unsettling about this arrangement is that Montgomery, now 31, has been very bad this season. After a successful 2023 split between the Cardinals and the championship-winning Texas Rangers, Montgomery posted a 3.20 ERA. That number has ballooned to a whopping 6.80 ERA in nine starts this season. His fastball velocity has dipped and he's sagging in almost every possible category compared to his 2023 effort.

Montgomery's 2024 salary is $25 million. He has multiple vesting options alongside his player option for 2025: at ten starts in 2024 he vests $20 million in 2025; at 18 starts in 2024 he vests $22.5 million in 2025; at 23 starts he vests $25 million in 2025.

It's easy to see a situation where this scares a non-competitive Diamondbacks team. It also could present an opportunity for the Brewers to buy low on a player at a position of dire need for them in 2024.