Underrated Starter Option for the A's to Consider After Awful Stint with D-Backs
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Now that the A's have taken care of second base, and locked up left fielder Tyler Soderstrom long-term in the process, the front office is set to turn their attention to the starting rotation. This could also be the most difficult area to improve for the club, given that one of their own pitchers, Luis Severino, made his feelings about the team's home park in Sacramento well known throughout the season.
That may not be the most enticing sales pitch for other potential free agent pitchers to hear. This, paired with the fact that the club isn't as likely to spend big money on another pitcher this winter, could lead to the A's aiming for a bounce back candidate.
One name that certainly stands out as intriguing is veteran left-hander Jordan Montgomery. In 2023, he totaled 188 2/3 innings with a 3.20 ERA (3.56 FIP) with the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers, and turned that into a one-year, $25 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, which included a vesting option that began at making 10 starts in 2024.
He ended up starting 21 games for Arizona, which led to him getting a deal worth $22.5 million this past season, even though he spent the entire season on the IL following Tommy John surgery right as the 2025 season began.
In his lone season with the Diamondbacks, Monty held a 6.23 ERA (4.48 FIP) across 117 innings of work, and ended up serving some time in the bullpen, earning the first save of his career.
Why he could make sense for the A's
His last two seasons on the mound have been an encapsulation of the risk involved in potentially adding Montgomery for any club. On the one hand, he can be a terrific leader of the rotation and pitch a team into the postseason, and even a World Series on the right club.
On the other hand, he could also stink it up a bit, showing that 2024 was no fluke. Plus, he's recovering from a serious surgery, which only complicates matters. There's no telling exactly when he'll be ready to return from the IL in order to help a team, so any signing would be purely speculative.
That's also the right mix of ingredients for the A's to take a chance. Since he had surgery in late March, the earliest he'd be ready would be around the same time in 2026. It's more likely that it will take a couple of extra months at least, which could lead to a mid-season addition for the signing team.
The A's could even offer up a two year deal that would keep him in green and gold for 2027, which would give them a little insurance. Luis Severino has a player option for the '27 campaign, while Jeffrey Springs has a club option. If Severino opts out, the A's could have Monty and Springs. If Sevvy opts in, then they rock with Montgomery and Severino in 2027, and decline Springs' option.
Signing Montgomery would involve some risk, but it would also set the club up nicely if it pays off. They'd be protected from the potential departure of Severino following the 2026 campaign, and could also potentially get a Springs-esque lefty for a slight discount.
It's certainly worth considering, given the amount of upside that could be in play here.
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Jason has been covering the A’s at various sites for over a decade, and was the original host of the Locked on A’s podcast. He also covers the Stanford Cardinal as they attempt to rebuild numerous programs to prominence.
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