The reason lefty Jordan Montgomery, a free agent, has been linked to the Cubs so frequently is straightforward. The reason for this is because the signing would be a baseball logical leap. With the Reds, one of the other favorites in the league, dealing with a string of injuries, the North Siders have a chance to win the N.L. Central this season. There’s a chance to win the Central title and advance to the postseason.
However, Montgomery would readily respond to the subject of pitching depth, which is one of the things that could prevent the Cubs from winning this season. To make a deep run in the Cubs in 2024, Justin Steele will need to replicate his breakthrough 2023 campaign. Jameson Taillon, the injured No. 2 player, would need to recover fast. Shota Imanaga needs to maintain his momentum from the spring and carry it through the whole season.
Oh, and the Cubs need to put together a respectable back half of the rotation, starting with Javier Assad and Jordan Wicks in the 4-5 places.
In essence, Montgomery provides insurance in case the Cubs fail to meet any of those criteria. This is the reason Montgomery “still makes sense” for the Cubs, according to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic this week.
Cubs’ signing of a major still makes sense.
As the team is ready to leave Arizona, Mooney also cited team president Jed Hoyer as saying, “We’re still having conversations,” which undoubtedly caught several Chicagoans off guard. Hoyer did, however, add that it is unlikely that the roster will alter.
Additionally, he stated, as reported by MLB.com, that it is untenable to sign older pitchers—Montgomery is 31—to costly contracts, with Spotrac projecting his market value at $110 million and six years.
Relying on the free-agent market to generate enough pitching is challenging. It’s typically older [players] and quite costly. We’re hoping that some of our young arms can be of assistance to us,” Hoyer remarked.
Although Jordan Montgomery still makes sense for the Chicago Cubs in principle, Mooney makes a solid point when he says, “An entire offseason and almost all of spring training flew by.”
After assisting the Texas Rangers in winning the World Series the previous season, Montgomery could not have imagined themselves in this waiting game. Montgomery, a Scott Boras client who is still unsigned heading into March Madness, hasn’t had the ideal free agency experience.
The Jordan Montgomery Deal Would Be Very Demanding.
However, it is a two-way street. Montgomery’s asking price is still too high for the Cubs or any other team to consider signing him. Along with his former team, the Rangers, Montgomery has also been associated with a number of other teams, including the Red Sox, Yankees, Astros, and others. However, Texas chose to sign former Phillies pitcher Michael Lorenzen as a late free agent.
The luxury tax would be a more significant obstacle to overcome if Hoyer decided he wanted Montgomery on the staff. Tom Ricketts, the team’s owner, has expressed no inclination to let the franchise surpass the $237 million tax threshold. The Cubs’ anticipated payroll is $230 million, just under the tax, according to Spotrac.
Montgomery’s big discount for this season would probably push the Cubs over the tax line even without it. Naturally, that is a Ricketts issue rather than one involving the team or its supporters. However, Ricketts is the one who signs the checks, and he has stated that the team feels comfortable skirting the tax line.
Adding Montgomery would bring about such a swift adjustment. It is logical. However, it is still very unlikely.
