D-Backs owner calls Montgomery signing 'horrible decision'
Published
Arizona Diamondbacks managing partner Ken Kendrick was frank on Tuesday in his assessment of the club's free-agent signing of lefty Jordan Montgomery.
Calling the two-year, $47.5 million deal a "horrible decision," Kendrick told an Arizona Sports radio show that the blame falls on him.
Finishing the season at 89-73, the D-Backs missed out on the playoffs on Monday when the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves split their doubleheader to pip the 2023 National League champions to the final wild-card spots.
"If anyone wants to blame anyone for Jordan Montgomery being a Diamondback, you're talking to the guy that should be blamed because I brought it to their attention," Kendrick told "'The Burns & Gambo Show" with Dave Burns and John Gambadoro. "I pushed for it. They agreed to it. It wasn't in our game plan."
Montgomery, 31, made 25 appearances in 2024, going 8-7 with an earned run average of 5.33 and WHIP of 1.650 over 117.0 innings pitched. He struck out 83 batters and walked 44.
"In hindsight, it was a horrible decision to have invested that money in a guy that performed as poorly as he did," Kendrick continued. "It's our biggest mistake this season from a talent standpoint, and I'm the perpetrator of that."
A native of Sumter, SC, Montgomery split the 2023 season with the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers. He made six postseason starts at the Rangers claimed their first-ever World Series title.