Jordan Montgomery Progressing Towards First Spring Start

Torey Lovullo seemed pleased with the results. Montgomery threw about 26 pitches, mixing in plenty of sinkers and curveballs. Lovullo seemed especially please with the curveball. "There were, in particular, some good breaking balls I saw him throw that had good shape and good finish in the hitting zone," Lovullo said.

The next steps for Montgomery are not quite determined yet, but Lovullo added at the end of his press conference that Montgomery would either throw one more session or proceed straight to a spring training game.

Montgomery suffered a strain of his left index finger in his final bullpen session back home in South Carolina. He arrived at camp unable to throw due to the injury, and fell about two turns behind all the other starters.

The Diamondbacks have seven major league starters, but Lovullo confirmed once again that the team will not consider using a six-man rotation to start the season. There are just too many off days, and it would result in some starters ending up with six or even seven days rest on occasion, which throws pitchers too far out of their routine.

Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, and Eduardo Rodriguez are locks for the rotation. The fifth spot is a battle between Montgomery, Brandon Pfaadt, and Ryne Nelson.

Since the beginning of spring training the team has chosen not to stress over having too many pitchers, as in their experience someone always gets hurt or falls behind schedule. It's not clear as of this writing if Montgomery still has enough time to get ready for the fifth game of the year, which will be April 1 in New York against the Yankees.

After completing the first year of his deal for $25 million in 2024, Montgomery elected to pick up his player vesting option of $22.5 million for 2025.

For that reason, if he is healthy and on the roster, it's hard to imagine him not being a part of the starting rotation. But that leaves the team with perhaps two of their best arms in Pfaadt and Nelson on the outside looking in.

There is always the possibility that if Montgomery shows out well in his first Cactus League outing or two he could end up being traded before the start of the season. But the nearer the March 27 opener draws, the less likely that seems to be.

Montgomery went through the worst season of his career in 2024, making just 21 starts and four relief appearances, posting a 6.23 ERA in 117 inning. Due to outstanding run support his personal record was 8-7, but by September he had been demoted to the bullpen.

Following the season, team Managing General Partner Ken Kendrick made some pointed comments about Montgomery's performance, and took the blame for the signing that did not work out. While that storm blew over, and Montgomery seemed to take it in stride, questions remain about his future with the Diamondbacks.

The only way this ends well for all parties is if Montgomery is healthy and pitches well. He came to camp slimmed down over 20 pounds, and seems to be making the kind of progress necessary to provide just such a result.