In 2020, the Arizona Diamondbacks made a bold offseason move, inking former World Series hero and left-handed ace Madison Bumgarner to a five-year, $85 million deal. Four years later, with a 5.23 ERA across 69 starts, Arizona parted ways with Bumgarner, ending arguably the worst free agency signing in franchise history (Yasmany Tomas, anyone?). This past offseason, the Diamondbacks tried their hands again at adding a former World Series-winning left-handed starting pitcher, turning their sights on one-time Texas Rangers hurler Jordan Montgomery.
With the Arizona Diamondbacks fighting for a wild card spot in late July, the NL West club turned to Montgomery for his 15th season start against the lowly Washington Nationals. Montgomery, entering with a brutal 6.11 ERA and 1.61 WHIP, surrendered five runs in the first inning before getting his second out. He finished with six earned runs on nine hits and two walks in four innings. He struck out one.
Arizona Diamondbacks SP Jodan Montgomery: Shelled by Nats
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With the Arizona Diamondbacks in the thick of the wild card race, prized offseason acquisition Jordan Montgomery, on the heels of a solid start against the Kansas City Royals in his first outing since his return from the IL, got shelled, putting his team in a five-run hole after the first half inning. After striking out Washington’s lone All-Star in infield CJ Abrams, Montgomery allowed a single to Juan Yepez, walked Harold Ramirez, and coughed up an RBI single to James Wood before Keibert Ruiz laced a double to left field.
Right fielder Alex Call followed Ruiz with a three-run blast, giving the Washington Nationals a five-run lead. After the 376-foot blast, Ildermaro Vargas singled, and Jacob Young hit into a force out before being picked off, attempting to steal second.
Of the five hits surrendered by Montgomery in the first, three had an exit velocity of over 95 MPH, with the home run coming off a curveball in the middle of the zone. Montgomery ran into trouble again in the second. After a 105 MPH lineout by Trey Lipscomb to open the inning, Abrams doubled off a curveball in the zone before Ramirez smashed an RBI single to center field.
Montgomery allowed more hard contact in the third. Jacob Young hit a single to center field after a leadoff walk and nifty play from star first baseman Christian Walker in foul territory. Lipscomb followed with a 103 MPH ground ball, but shortstop Geraldo Perdomo and second baseman Ketel Marte turned the hard-hit ball into a double play. However, Montgomery pitched better in the fourth inning, his final of the night. He induced four ground balls, with only one finding a hole for a base knock. Unfortunately, three had an exit velocity north of 90 MPH.
Diamondbacks: Rally for Win
Jordan Montgomery’s final stat line read four innings pitched, nine hits, six earned runs, one strikeout, and two walks, with his season ERA now sitting at 6.51. He left with the Arizona Diamondbacks trailing 6-1. After a scoreless fifth inning from reliever Miguel Castro, Arizona scored another run in the fifth courtesy of a Ketel Marte single. However, the Washington Nationals answered with two runs on the sixth off Castro, commanding an 8-2 lead. The Diamondbacks shifted to starting pitcher turned reliever Slade Cecconi in the seventh, with the righty tossing two no-hit innings while striking out a pair. Lefty Joe Mantiply cleaned up for Cecconi in the ninth with a shutout frame.
After scoring one run in the seventh and eighth innings, Arizona entered the bottom of the ninth trailing 8-4. Facing closer Kyle Finnegan, center fielder Alex Thomas tripled, shortstop Geraldo Perdomo singled, and Ketel Marte homered, making it an 8-7 ballgame. After catcher Gabriel Moreno lined out, outfield Lourdes Gurriel singled, bringing pinch hitter Corbin Carroll to the plate as the winning run.
The 2023 NL Rookie of the Year turned on a high fastball, launching a walk-off two-run shot into the first row of the right field bleacher. Washington entered the ninth with a 98.4% win probability. The Arizona Diamondbacks are now 56-51 and a half-game back from the New York Mets and San Diego Padres in the wild card race.
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