The Red Sox open the season on Thursday of next week.
Bullpen reorganization is underway, position battles are intensifying, and roster reductions have started. The Red
Sox pitching staff has been excellent this spring; at 3.82, they presently own the fourth-best ERA. In terms of
strikeouts, they are in the top ten teams.
It still seems insufficient, though.
We posed the following query a few weeks ago: Why are the Red Sox still holding out for Jordan Montgomery?
Today, we may pose the same question.

With Blake Snell’s two-year, $62 million contract finalized on Monday, the San Francisco Giants were able to
eliminate another major player from the pool of available free agents. Given the qualifying offer that came with Snell
—which required the Red Sox to give up a second-round selection and international bonus pool money—he never felt
like a viable fit for the team. But as has been well reported this winter, Montgomery is currently the only large arm
available, and Snell is one of Scott Boras’s clients. Right-hander Michael Lorenzen inked a $4.5 million, one-year
contract with the Texas Rangers on Wednesday. Although Montgomery has a varied background and degree of
achievement, the Red
It makes sense that the Red Sox won’t sign Montgomery if they haven’t already. However, the Red Sox payroll might
increase by $25 million and they would still avoid paying the luxury tax this season. The Red Sox are not the only
team in need of pitching, even if Montgomery has backed off from his quest of a seven-year contract, which he was
still pursuing as of two weeks ago.
Gerrit Cole will not be available to the Yankees for some time. In addition to the Blue Jays, the Astros are also
struggling with injuries to José Urquidy and Justin Verlander due to pitching.
If the Red Sox haven’t signed Montgomery already, it makes sense that they won’t. Even with a $25 million payroll
bump, the Red Sox would still be exempt from the luxury tax this season. Even though Montgomery has backed off
from his pursuit of a seven-year contract, which he was still chasing as of two weeks ago, the Red Sox are not the only
team in need of pitching.

The Yankees won’t have access to Gerrit Cole for a while. The Astros are also having trouble with pitching-related
ailments to José Urquidy and Justin Verlander, in addition to the Blue Jays.
But when any pitcher signs a major deal this late in the spring, there are other factors to take into account.
Montgomery has been exercising at Boras’ Florida complex throughout the spring. He hasn’t, however, faced major
league opposition, and pitchers particularly benefit from spring training since it helps them not only strengthen their
arms but also get ready for game speed. Any pitcher will tell you that pitching in a game against big-league batters is
not the same as getting innings in a minor-league game on the back fields. How prepared will Montgomery be then
when he finally signs?
Will he try to push himself too quickly and suffer an injury setback akin to those plaguing the game this spring, even
if he is ready? Possibly since he pitched well into the postseason with the Rangers the previous year, he will benefit
from the extra rest and a slow spring, but time is running out and facing major league batters in the spring is always
a crucial step for pitchers.
Not to mention how soon a new pitching program and new catchers will require Montgomery to catch up. It will
require a lot of quick adjustments wherever he signs, which is usually not a surefire formula for success.
All of this is not to say that any team that signs him won’t see an instant improvement in its rotation, especially the
Red Sox, who desperately need more pitching. But Montgomery can only wait so long?
Next Thursday in Seattle, Brayan Bello is scheduled to start for the Red Sox on Opening Day. Nick Pivetta will pitch
the second game. By then, will Montgomery be involved? With one week left before the season begins, the answer
may finally be coming after five months of waiting.