MLB Rumors: Jordan Montgomery Leaves Scott Boras After $25M D-Backs Contract in FA

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery has reportedly dropped Scott Boras as his agent after having to settle for an unexpectedly modest contract in free agency.

According to ESPN's Kiley McDaniel, Montgomery will now be represented by Joel Wolfe and Nick Chanock of Wasserman Sports & Entertainment.

Montgomery went unsigned until the start of the 2023 MLB regular season when he inked a one-year, $25 million deal with Arizona that includes a $25 million option for 2025.

The lefty was widely expected to sign a significantly longer deal worth more money, with McDaniel noting that he had projected a five-year, $106 million contract.

Montgomery was one of four major Boras clients who went unsigned deep into free agency this past offseason, along with pitcher Blake Snell, outfielder Cody Bellinger and third baseman Matt Chapman.

Snell signed a two-year, $62 million deal, including a player opt-out clause after 2024, with the San Francisco Giants, and Chapman signed a three-year, $54 million contract with the Giants. Both deals were inked in March.

In late February, Bellinger agreed to a three-year, $80 million contract with two player opt-outs to return to the Chicago Cubs.

While none of the contracts came close to what was anticipated, it can be argued that Montgomery came out the worst for wear since it was only a one-year deal and he signed later than any of the others.

The 31-year-old veteran spent parts of the first six seasons of his MLB career with the New York Yankees, and he posted a solid 3.94 ERA during that time.

However, he reached the next level following a trade to the St. Louis Cardinals, and he continued to improve after getting traded to the Texas Rangers last season.

In 32 starts split between the Cards and Rangers in 2023, Montgomery went 10-11 with a career-best 3.20 ERA and 166 strikeouts over 188.2 innings.

Monty also posted a 2.90 ERA in six playoff outings, including five starts, helping the Rangers win the World Series.

That type of performance on the big stage would normally command a huge contract on the free-agent market, but Boras may have overplayed his hand.

Now, Montgomery is in the minor leagues ramping up his pitch count in anticipation of his Diamondbacks debut.

Montgomery has a chance to be a key player this season for a D-Backs team that reached the World Series in 2023, but his situation has to be considered a disappointment given what he should have earned with his performance last season.