After a protracted free agency period that extended almost until Opening Day, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jordan Montgomery has severed ties with his agent, prominent MLB figure Scott Boras.
The saga unfolded amidst what ESPN terms the “Boras Four,” a group of Boras’s clients who entered free agency as top-tier players this winter. Despite high expectations, all four players, including Montgomery, inked deals well below anticipated values after protracted negotiations that spanned much of the offseason.
After a free agency that nearly dragged out until Opening Day, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jordan Montgomery has reportedly fired his agent, powerful MLB figure Scott Boras.https://t.co/3aP8bzCYPX
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 11, 2024
Montgomery’s journey through free agency was particularly protracted. He eventually agreed to a one-year contract worth $25 million, with a potential vesting option for the following season, just two days before the Diamondbacks’ season opener on March 26.
The trio alongside Montgomery, comprising third baseman Matt Chapman, outfielder Cody Bellinger, and pitcher Blake Snell, similarly settled for contracts significantly below expectations, despite their notable achievements in the 2023 season.
Montgomery, pivotal in the Texas Rangers’ historic World Series triumph, was traded mid-season from the St. Louis Cardinals.
Chapman secured his second career Gold Glove with the Toronto Blue Jays, while Bellinger earned the NL Comeback Player of the Year award with the Chicago Cubs.
Snell’s stellar performance earned him the NL Cy Young while pitching for the San Diego Padres. Anticipated multi-year deals stretching up to seven years were expected for all four players.
However, the reality fell short of expectations. Bellinger re-signed with the Cubs for three years and $80 million, Chapman joined the San Francisco Giants for three years and $54 million, and Snell settled for a two-year, $62 million contract with the Giants.
In the wake of these developments, Montgomery opted to part ways with Boras, who had attributed his clients’ challenging offseason experiences to a variety of factors, including fluctuations in the market and uncertainties surrounding team revenues.
Joel Wolfe and Nick Chanock now represent Montgomery from Wasserman, a move signaling a shift in representation strategy. Wolfe, leading Wasserman’s baseball endeavors, notably brokered a groundbreaking deal for Japanese pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto, securing a record-breaking 12-year, $325 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, despite Yamamoto’s lack of prior MLB experience.
