Jordan Montgomery rumors: Yankees reunion a 'long shot' as AL West team emerges to be best match, per insider

Jordan Montgomery has recently been linked to several baseball teams including the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, Angels, and Giants. However, the Texas Rangers reportedly stand a better chance, as per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

The Yankees picked Jordan Montgomery in the 2014 MLB Draft. He made his major league debut in 2017. In 2022, the Yankees traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals, and later, he was traded to the Rangers.

The New York Yankees were reportedly quite interested in getting the left-handed pitcher in this offseason. However, according to Feinsand, it seems to be quite a "long shot" for them to acquire Montgomery. Feinsand wrote:

"A reunion between Montgomery and the Yankees appears to be a long shot at this point, though the other clubs could still be in play. That said, a return to Texas remains the most logical and likely conclusion to Montgomery’s free agency."

The Yankees may be waiting to see if Jordan Montgomery’s asking price drops, and if he decides to sign with another team instead of the Rangers. Even if he doesn’t go to the Rangers, the Yankees might not be his first choice.

The Yankees traded him to the Cardinals in 2022 in exchange for Harrison Bader. He is expected to cost the Yankees a lot more, should he decide to return to the Bronx. Montgomery's successful campaign with the Rangers in 2023, culminating in a World Series win, means continuing at Texas might be the right decision for him.

Rangers might be the best fit for Montgomery

Last season, Montgomery played an important part in helping the Rangers team win their first World Series. He played for both the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers during that season.

In 32 games, he had a record of 10 wins and 11 losses with a 3.20 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. During that time he pitched for a total of 188.2 innings and struck out 166 batters.

Because Montgomery didn’t get any qualifying offers, teams won’t have to give up draft picks to get him, making him more attractive to the teams in free agency.