Diamondbacks' Jordan Montgomery slams agent Scott Boras after demotion; Boras responds

Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Jordan Montgomery was moved from the starting rotation to the bullpen Friday, making room for 26-year-old right-hander Ryne Nelson to take his place.

Montgomery spoke with Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald over the weekend about Montgomery's free-agent odyssey during the offseason. Montgomery was expected to score a much better deal than the one-year, $25 million contract that he signed with Arizona (which includes a now-$22.5 million player option for next season).

Montgomery, traded midseason 2023 from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Texas Rangers, was coming off a World Series-winning run with the Rangers. He posted a 3.20 ERA and 1.193 WHIP across 32 starts with the two teams. In six postseason appearances in 2023, Montgomery recorded a 2.90 ERA and walked just five across 31 innings.

The Red Sox were a team interested in Montgomery this offseason.

“I had a Zoom call with (the Red Sox), that’s really all I know. It went good,” Montgomery told Cerullo . before the Diamondbacks-Red Sox series. “I don’t know, obviously (Scott) Boras kind of butchered it, so I’m just trying to move on from the offseason and try to forget it.”

Boras, whom Montgomery fired shortly after signing with the DBacks , has been his agent.

Montgomery had not posted an ERA worse than 3.83 since the COVID-shortened 2020 season, until this year. Montgomery is up to a 6.44 ERA, 1.674 WHIP, and 11.7 hits per nine innings rate in 2024. Montgomery didn't sign with the DBacks until the beginning of this season because Boras couldn't reach a deal with any team.

Montgomery allowed four total runs in 13 combined innings over his first two starts. Since then, he pitched just 82 innings in his 17 starts. He posted a 7.02 ERA in that time.

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Boras responded to Montgomery's comments.

"I saw what Jordan said," Boras said to the Boston Herald. "I know what it is to be frustrated with this game. As a former player, I feel for him. But I'm also a lawyer with obligations to my clients, including former ones. So I cannot discuss what happened or the decisions Jordan made unless he gives me permission. If he gives me the green light I'll be happy to talk about it.

"I've been doing this for over 35 years. I relay all offers and relevant information to all my clients and act at their direction. They make all decisions. We wish Jordan well."

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Diamondbacks' Jordan Montgomery slams agent Scott Boras after demotion; Boras responds