SAN ANTONIO — Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen revealed on Wednesday that he has engaged in discussions with left-handed pitcher Jordan Montgomery, aiming to move forward after team owner Ken Kendrick’s sharp public remarks at the end of the season.
The future of the 31-year-old Montgomery with the Diamondbacks in 2025 remains uncertain, although Hazen is considering the option.
Shortly after the season began, Montgomery signed a one-year contract worth $25 million, including a player option for 2025. However, he struggled to meet expectations, ending the season with a 6.23 ERA over 21 starts and 117 innings pitched. Eventually, he was moved to the bullpen, where he made just four appearances.
Earlier this week, Montgomery opted to keep his $22.5 million option and remain with the D-backs.
“I want to highlight that he took full responsibility for his performance this past season, which I truly respect,” Hazen stated during the general managers’ meetings. “I also tried to take responsibility for areas where we might have been able to support him better. It was a challenging dynamic.”
Montgomery’s struggles contributed to the Diamondbacks narrowly missing the playoffs after a successful run to the World Series in 2023. Arizona ended the regular season in a three-way tie for the final two National League wildcard spots alongside the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets, but was excluded from postseason play due to losing the season series against both teams.
In a post-season radio interview on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, Kendrick acknowledged his role in signing Montgomery, admitting he suggested the deal.
“Looking back, it was clearly a poor decision to invest such significant money in a player who underperformed,” Kendrick admitted. “This was our biggest mistake from a talent perspective this season, and I take full responsibility for that.”
As spring training approaches, Arizona might have as many as six seasoned starting pitchers, which includes Montgomery, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt, and Ryne Nelson.
“I believe we’re in a strong position regarding our starting pitching,” Hazen mentioned. “I’d like to maintain that depth, but we’ll see what transpires throughout the offseason.”
Hazen noted that other teams have expressed interest in several pitchers from Arizona’s roster.
“We’re having conversations with teams about starting pitchers because we have six on hand,” Hazen added. “So, inquiries about players—especially starting pitchers—have been coming our way.”
Prior to this past season, Montgomery had established a solid reputation as a reliable major league starter, recording a career record of 46-41 with a 4.03 ERA over eight seasons.