Yankees Targeting Familiar Face In Free Agency

Yes, the New York Yankees are in the running for players at the very top of the free agent pool, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Cody Bellinger. But according to MLB Insider Jon Heyman, they're also showing interest in a reunion with left-hander Jordan Montgomery, fresh off his World Series win with the Texas Rangers.

UPDATE‼️Yankees have legit interest in Jordan Montgomery, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post #RepBX pic.twitter.com/LnjzvvYCnf
— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) November 24, 2023

And why wouldn't they? Ever since the Yanks traded the left-hander in the 2022 season, he’s turned into one of the better pitchers in baseball and just finished his best season yet, posting a 3.20 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals. He also was a major factor in the Rangers' postseason run to the title.

The Pinstripers are looking to add one more solid arm at least to the rotation for 2024, to join Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes (assuming the latter two are ready to regain their forms after injury-plagued seasons). Certainly, Michael King showed late in the season that he could be a solid mid-rotation piece as well.

But as they say, you can never have enough pitching.

The soon-to-be 31-year-old Montgomery spent the first 5½ years of his big league career in the Bronx, posing a 3.94 ERA while striking out 8.6 per nine. But he's shown a newfound confidence in the last year, and taken a big step.

The Yankees would be interested in a reunion, but they'll face still competition from the Rangers, who want to keep him.

Photo: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports