Jordan Montgomery, a left-handed pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, will become a free agent after this season, having been traded from the Yankees last year. He has expressed willingness to discuss a contract extension but insists that any negotiations must be concluded before the season begins. Once the season kicks off, Montgomery indicated that discussions will be postponed until the offseason.
Although it seems unlikely that an extension will be finalized in the immediate future, the Cardinals might have a strong incentive to retain Montgomery. MLBtraderumors.com highlights that with Adam Wainwright set to retire and other key pitchers like Montgomery, Miles Mikolas, and Jack Flaherty also facing free agency, the team’s future rotation could be in jeopardy. Steven Matz is the only reliable starter under contract beyond 2023.
Montgomery was acquired by the Cardinals in a high-profile trade involving center fielder Harrison Bader, which stirred controversy among Yankees supporters. While Bader was sidelined with plantar fasciitis, Montgomery quickly made an impact in his new role with St. Louis.
Montgomery told John Denton of MLB.com, “I’m not focused on contract talks. If it doesn’t get sorted before spring training ends, we’ll shift our focus to the season. We’ve had all spring to work out a deal, and if talks happen, they’ll happen.”
Post-trade, Montgomery has performed well, boasting a 3.11 ERA with improved strikeout and walk rates, according to MLBtraderumors.com. Despite missing most of the 2019 season due to Tommy John surgery, Montgomery has regained form, making 62 starts over the past two years with a consistent 3.65 ERA.