The Red Sox continue to be linked to Montgomery
The Boston Red Sox haven’t taken their eyes off Jordan Montgomery even with spring training underway.
Montgomery, who won a World Series with the Texas Rangers last season, continues to sit on the free-agent market, available to all MLB teams. The Red Sox don’t seem to mind playing the waiting game and Boston appears to still be in the running for Montgomery’s services.
The Red Sox have been linked to the veteran left-handed pitcher throughout the offseason and the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported Thursday where things currently stand between the Red Sox and Montgomery.
“The Red Sox were definitely talking to Montgomery about two weeks ago,” Heyman said. “And that did seem to be a consideration, but there has been no movement on that since then.”
The Red Sox adding Montgomery would give a big boost to Boston’s starting rotation. The 6-foot-6, 228-pound southpaw split last season between the St. Louis Cardinals and Rangers, compiling a combined 10-11 record with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.193 WHIP. He was sensational in the postseason for Texas, notching three wins, including in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros.
Montgomery also is familiar with pitching in the AL East. He spent the first five-plus seasons of his career toeing the rubber for the New York Yankees.
Boston isn’t the only team waiting patiently for Montgomery to come to a decision. Heyman reported the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels are also trying to land Montgomery.
Montgomery would give the Red Sox something it doesn’t have in their starting rotation: a left-handed presence. Boston’s starting rotation is exclusively right-handed at the moment with Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito and Nick Pivetta seemingly all having secured a spot. Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck, Garrett Whitlock and Josh Winckowski are fighting it out for the remaining openings.