Arizona lands Montgomery on $25M, 1-year deal
PHOENIX >> The Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t believe they were in a lofty enough financial stratosphere to chase a free agent the caliber of left-hander Jordan Montgomery.
A soft market this offseason changed their mind.
Montgomery and the Dbacks finalized their $25 million, one-year deal on Friday that includes a vesting option for 2025. The 31-year-old pitched for the Texas Rangers against Arizona in the World Series last year, and his addition bulks up the defending National League champions’ rotation.
“You watch the market evolve, and it moved more slowly than I think any of us would have expected with the top-of-theline free agents, which he clearly was one,” D-backs owner Ken Kendrick said. “We’re down to the end of spring and he’s still available. We thought it was worth making an effort to approach them, we did, and it worked out for both of us.”
Montgomery is a client of agent Scott Boras, who negotiated several similar short-term deals for his top free agents in recent weeks.
Former MVP Cody Bellinger re-signed with the Cubs on an $80 million, three-year deal in late February. Four-time Gold Glove third baseman Matt Chapman signed a $54 million, three-year deal with the Giants on March 3. Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell inked a $62 million, two-year deal, also with the Giants, on March 19.
On Friday, it was Montgomery’s turn.
SNITKER LEAVES FAMILY HOME BECAUSE OF “HOSTILE CROWD” IN PHILADELPHIA >> Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker’s family stayed out of Philadelphia on opening day.
Snitker called out Phillies fans in spring training for what he said was objectionable behavior from them in the playoffs toward his wife and other Atlanta friends and family members.
“It’s rough there,” Snitker
said in an interview with Atlanta radio station WZGC broadcast March 21. “And they don’t seem to mind, either, quite honestly. It was rough on them all last year to the point where it was concerning.”
The Phillies eliminated the Braves in Philadelphia each of the last two seasons in the NL Division Series. The Braves have won six straight NL East titles and the 2021 World Series.
Snitker had also said Philly had “by far the most hostile crowd” and his wife would refuse to return to Citizens Bank Park.
Asked what made his family feel unsafe at the ballpark, Snitker said Friday, “I’m not going to get into all that. Let’s talk about today.”
“My wife’s babysitting and the grandkids are in school,” Snitker said in Atlanta’s dugout. “They wouldn’t be anywhere, honestly, other than home.”
METS’ COHEN SAYS HE’LL BE DISAPPOINTED IF TEAM MISSES PLAYOFFS>> Expectations are lower for the New York Mets entering this season. But owner Steve Cohen still has a specific achievement in mind.
“I think the goal is to make the playoffs. Pretty simple. Let’s not overthink this,” Cohen said Friday. “If we don’t make the playoffs, obviously I’d be disappointed.”
Wearing a Mets cap and jacket, Cohen held a news conference at Citi Field a couple of hours before the Mets played their opener against the Milwaukee Brewers, pushed back a day because of rain.
New York is coming off an expensive flop in 2023, when the team began the year with World Series aspirations following a 101win season and a playoff appearance the year before.
Despite the highest payroll in baseball history (about $355 million on opening day), the Mets finished fourth in the NL East at 75-87. After the season, they paid a record luxury tax of nearly $101 million.
EX-PHILLIES MANAGER MANUEL THROWS OPENINGDAY PITCH>> Former Philadelphia Phillies manager
Charlie Manuel threw the first pitch on opening day in his first visit to Citizens Bank Park since he suffered a stroke in September.
Manuel was greeted by a rousing standing ovation Friday as he walked out of the dugout ahead of the Phillies opener against Atlanta in his familiar No. 41 jersey. Former Phillies shortstop Larry Bowa caught the short toss from Manuel.
The 80-year-old Manuel managed the Phillies for 8 1/2 seasons from 200513 and guided them to a World Series championship in 2008.
FORMER CLEMSON OUTFIELDER ROHLMAN DIES AT 29 >> Reed Rohlman, a former Clemson all-atlantic Coast Conference outfielder who was drafted in the 35th round by Kansas City and played three years in the Royals organization, has died in Florida, his former school said Friday. He was 29.
No cause of death was given for Rohlman, who played for Clemson from 2014-17.