The Arizona Diamondbacks welcomed one of their top offseason pickups to the rotation Friday night. Left-hander Jordan Montgomery made his 2024 debut against the Giants at Oracle Park (GameTracker), and he held San Francisco to just a Jorge Soler solo homer over six innings. Montgomery struck out three and was efficient, throwing only 78 pitches of which 54 were strikes.
Here is Montgomery’s first strikeout with the D-Backs:
Montgomery, a postseason hero with the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers last year, settled for a one-year contract worth $25 million just before Opening Day. He was seeking a long-term deal, though that did not materialize. Montgomery left agent Scott Boras earlier this month after his disappointing foray into free agency.
After signing, Montgomery made two Triple-A tune up starts and allowed nine runs in 7 2/3 innings. He got his pitch count up to 71 in his second start, hence his 78 pitches Friday. The results were not good, though a veteran like Montgomery is treating those Triple-A games like spring training. The priority is not getting outs. It’s working on certain things.
“I can tell you based on what I’ve heard, that Jordan worked really hard on his own and once he stepped into arena,” D-Backs manager Torey Lovullo said prior to Montgomery’s debut (via the Arizona Republic). “I’m glad we got him a couple of starts in Reno (in Triple-A). I think he’ll be ready.”
Coincidentally enough, Montgomery was opposed by Blake Snell on Friday. Like Montgomery, Snell is a Boras client who had to settle for a short-term contract over the winter. In Snell’s case, he is the reigning NL Cy Young winner. Snell was charged with five runs in 4 2/3 innings on Friday.
Arizona is currently without lefty Eduardo Rodriguez, who they signed to a four-year contract worth $80 million over the winter. He is dealing with a lat strain and was recently placed on the 60-day injured list. The earliest he can return is May 28.
The D-Backs entered play Friday with a 9-11 record. Montgomery and the Rangers, of course, beat Arizona in the World Series last year.
