The Arizona Diamondbacks and pitcher Jordan Montgomery have reached an agreement on a one-year contract worth $25 million, with a vesting option for 2025, according to a person familiar with the deal.
The person, who spoke anonymously to The Associated Press on Tuesday night, said the agreement is pending a successful physical.
Under the terms, if Montgomery starts in at least 10 games this season, the option will become guaranteed at $20 million, and he will have the right to opt-out. The option price could increase to $22.5 million if he makes 18 starts and $25 million if he reaches 23 starts, a milestone he has achieved in the last three seasons.
Montgomery, who turned 31 in December, played a key role in Texas’ recent World Series victory before entering free agency for the first time. He joins the Diamondbacks’ rotation, likely slotting in as the No. 3 or No. 4 starter alongside Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, and Eduardo Rodríguez.
Montgomery’s deal comes after the Diamondbacks signed Rodríguez to an $80 million, four-year contract earlier in the offseason.
Montgomery, standing at 6-foot-6, boasts a career record of 38 wins and 34 losses with a 3.68 ERA in 140 starts and one relief appearance across his tenure with the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, and Texas Rangers.
Last season, Montgomery recorded a 10-11 record with a 3.20 ERA in 32 regular-season starts. He continued his impressive performance into the postseason, posting a 3-1 record with a 2.90 ERA in six games.
Montgomery was initially drafted by the Yankees in 2014 and made his major league debut in 2017. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018 but bounced back to become a reliable starter for the Rangers.
