The 2023 MLB trade deadline is here, and that means that Major League Baseball clubs are evaluating whether or not they believe they could have championship-level squads with just a tweak or two to the roster.
This weekend saw the first major run on trades, and former South Carolina baseball star Jordan Montgomery was one of a number of players that were dealt to a new team.
Now a 7th-year pro, Montgomery has had his best two-year stretch of his career in 2022 and 2023. After being traded from the New York Yankees to the St. Louis Cardinals at last year’s MLB trade deadline, Monty was one of the top pitchers in baseball down the stretch, and his 2023 success prompted another trade to the World Series hopeful Texas Rangers.
The move to the Rangers comes after rumors circulated about Montgomery being moved to the Arizona Cardinals at the MLB trade deadline. If he had gone to Arizona, Montgomery would have been reunited with college teammate Christian Walker. In the end, though, the affectionally-nicknamed Gumby found himself with the Rangers.
The Rangers’ addition of Jordan Montgomery is one of several “all-in” moves made by the franchise at the MLB trade deadline as they pursue their first-ever World Series title.
Since his MLB call-up in 2017, Montgomery has been fully healthy in five seasons and has posted a sub-4.00 ERA and a sub-1.30 WHIP in all five of those seasons. After struggling with control (and, therefore, walks) early on in his career, Montgomery has developed into an elite pitcher in terms of limiting free passes to opposing batters.
Montgomery joins former South Carolina baseball commitment Corey Seager in Texas. Had Seager gone to college, the star shortstop and Montgomery would have been teammates for two seasons in 2013 and 2014. Now, though they missed the opportunity a decade ago, the two MLB stars will play together after all.