The Texas Rangers are rolling the dice once again on a familiar face, bringing left-handed pitcher Jordan Montgomery back into the fold with a one-year, $1.25 million deal as confirmed on February 11, 2026. It’s a reunion that stirs up memories of the 2023 World Series run, but this time, the stakes and circumstances are a bit different. Montgomery, now 33, is working his way back from a second Tommy John surgery, and while his return isn’t imminent, the Rangers are betting that his midseason arrival could bolster a rotation with championship aspirations.
Montgomery’s journey back to Arlington is as much a tale of resilience as it is of baseball business. After his heroic October performances in 2023, which included a 3-1 record and a 2.90 ERA in six postseason appearances, Montgomery quickly became a legend in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Who could forget his seven shutout innings against the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series? That outing not only set the tone for the Rangers’ playoff run but also featured a highlight-reel diving catch on a bunt attempt—pure grit and athleticism.
Yet, the baseball gods are fickle. Montgomery’s 2024 season with the Arizona Diamondbacks was nothing short of disastrous. Over 117 innings, he posted a 6.23 ERA and saw his strikeout rate plummet from 21.4% the previous year to just 15.6%. His signature sinker lost velocity, and opposing hitters feasted, batting .376 with a .582 slugging percentage against the pitch. The struggles led to his eventual demotion from the starting rotation, and by midseason, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers as part of a salary-dump move. However, Montgomery never threw a pitch for the Brewers, spending the second half of 2025 rehabbing after a torn UCL was diagnosed during Spring Training that year.
“Just haven’t been recovering very well,” Montgomery explained last March when announcing his decision to undergo surgery. “Kind of day after that last game [March 19], I came back sore, took a day off like I normally do. Next day was still a little achy, so we pushed my bullpen back. Felt decent the next day, kind of just threw through it. Threw a pretty good bullpen, but something was wrong. They told me we were just going to get some imaging on it — we thought it was just kind of a joint thing, would get a shot in there, clean it up and I’d be good. And that just wasn’t the case.” According to The Dallas Morning News, the procedure—a hybrid elbow ligament reconstruction—was performed by Rangers medical director Dr. Keith Meister, giving the club unique insight into Montgomery’s recovery process.
Despite his recent setbacks, Montgomery’s track record from 2021 to 2023 is hard to ignore. He was a model of consistency, making at least 30 starts each season and posting ERAs under 4.00, with a career-high 136 ERA+ in 2023. That year, he logged 32 starts and 188 2/3 innings with a 3.20 ERA, numbers that placed him among the league’s more reliable starters. His postseason heroics, especially with the Rangers, are etched in franchise lore, helping deliver the club’s first World Series title.
Now, Montgomery is set to open the 2026 season on the 60-day injured list, with hopes of returning around the All-Star break. The Rangers’ rotation, already featuring big names like Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, MacKenzie Gore, and Jack Leiter, is both formidable and fragile. Both Eovaldi and deGrom have lengthy injury histories, and the club has learned the hard way that you can never have too much pitching depth. Lefty Cody Bradford is expected back from internal brace surgery in May, and the fifth starter spot is up for grabs, with Jacob Latz and Kumar Rocker among the candidates to start the year in that role.
Montgomery’s return could play out in several ways. If the rotation stays healthy, he might slot in as the fifth starter or even expand the group to a six-man rotation, depending on the team’s needs. If injuries rear their ugly head—as they so often do—Montgomery could be thrust into a pivotal role, providing much-needed reinforcement during the dog days of summer. There’s also the possibility of him contributing out of the bullpen, a role he’s filled in the past, particularly during his stint with the Diamondbacks.
The deal itself is a low-risk, high-upside move for Texas. At $1.25 million in base salary, with performance bonuses built in, the contract is a testament to the club’s cautious optimism. Of course, adding Montgomery means the Rangers must clear a spot on their 40-man roster, a procedural hurdle that could result in a player being placed on the injured list or designated for assignment, potentially exposing them to waivers.
Montgomery’s career arc has been anything but linear. Drafted by the Yankees in the fourth round in 2014, he debuted in 2017 with a solid 3.88 ERA over 29 starts. After six seasons in New York, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for outfielder Harrison Bader, where he continued to shine with a 3.31 ERA in 32 starts before being sent to Texas in 2023. His free agency journey, however, was tumultuous. After being part of the so-called “Boras Four,” he signed a one-year, pillow contract with Arizona, only to see his value plummet after a rough campaign and subsequent injury woes. The relationship with the Diamondbacks soured, with owner Ken Kendrick calling the signing a “horrible decision,” and Montgomery himself changing representation after accusing agent Scott Boras of mishandling his free agency.
For the Rangers, the reunion is about more than nostalgia. It’s a calculated gamble on a pitcher who, when healthy, has proven he can deliver on the game’s biggest stages. As pitching injuries continue to reshape rosters across the league, Texas is hedging its bets by adding another layer of depth. If Montgomery can recapture even a portion of his 2023 form, the Rangers will have pulled off a savvy move that could pay dividends in the second half of the season.
As Spring Training unfolds in Surprise, Arizona, Montgomery’s timeline remains uncertain. But if the stars align and his rehab stays on track, Rangers fans could be treated to another chapter in the lefty’s rollercoaster career. For now, all eyes are on his recovery, and the hope that he can once again be the October difference-maker the franchise remembers so fondly.