The Philadelphia Phillies’ lone significant offseason move as of early January is the re-signing of pitcher Aaron Nola to a seven-year contract. This strengthened their lineup as they aim to win the World Series once more this year. The Phillies are fortunate to have a strong squad heading into the new season and did not require a major overhaul to be competitive. That is the reason these fresh connections to starting pitchers Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, as well as their pursuit of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, are so intriguing. Even though Dave Dombrowski has said he is happy with the rotation they have right now, it seems he is still exploring his possibilities.
Therefore, Montgomery seems like a stronger option than Snell or closer Josh Hader, according to Destiny Lugardo of Phillies Nation, if Philadelphia is still searching for a pitching addition. “If the Phillies want to make another splash, Montgomery would be the best fit out of the three big lefties available,” she says. She lists a few distinct explanations for this. The first is how Snell and Hader are affected by the qualifying offer scenario. The Phillies would have to forfeit draft picks if they signed them. “If the Phillies wanted to sign either Snell or Hader, that would require the team to give up their second- and fifth-highest selections in next year’s draft along with one million in international bonus pool money,” she states. Because Montgomery was dealt to the Texas Rangers during the previous season by the St. Louis Cardinals, he was not eligible to receive a qualifying offer. Lugardo also notes that, in terms of innings pitched, the big lefty is more dependable than Snell. “Montgomery might not have as high of a ceiling as Snell, but he brings a mix of dependability in the regular season and postseason success that could intrigue the Phillies,” she states.
Snell has never pitched more than 140 innings in a season, with the exception of his two Cy Young Award-winning seasons. That is the third year in a row that Montgomery has done that. These two factors, along with the likelihood that Montgomery will make less money than Snell, explain why the resilient pitcher should be selected rather than the more costly and less trustworthy one. Of course, it’s possible to exaggerate the interest. Dombrowski may choose to stick with the present roster for the upcoming season rather than make any more moves. That is quite feasible.
If Dombrowski continues to add, Montgomery may be preferred over the other two eye-catching names.
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