Brewers rumors: Team insider offers latest on a potential Jordan Montgomery reunion

Have you ever spent 15 minutes looking for a picture of a guy in a team's uniform only to remember he didn't actually play for that team?

Thanks to Jordan Montgomery's technically he-was-there tenure with the Milwaukee Brewers, I can now consider myself a part of that exclusive club.

Acquired as part of the Shelby Miller trade at the deadline, Montgomery never played for the Brewers while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in April. Unfortunately, Miller's own injury basically turned the deal into a wash, but the veteran southpaw's positive time with the franchise may give Milwaukee a path toward recouping some value.

Brewers insider Adam McCalvy reported in his latest newsletter, that the Brewers and Montgomery have mutual interest in a reunion, and he could prove to be a cost-effective way for the team to add some much-needed starting pitching depth to its roster.

According to team insider Adam McCalvy, a Jordan Montgomery, Brewers reunion isn't a far-fetched idea

"As thorny as his relationship with the D-backs had become, the Brewers found Montgomery to be great, to the point he came into American Family Field in September to make a donation to the Brewers Community Foundation," McCalvy wrote.

The long-time Brewers insider also pointed to Matt Arnold's positive Winter Meetings comments on the left-hander, noting that the 2023 World Series champion is expected to begin throwing again in January, with an eye on a return after Opening Day.

As someone who has been banging the drum for a re-signing of Montgomery, let me be the first to say that this kind of low-risk, high-reward move is an ideal next step for the Brewers this offseason.

Yes, he was a mess last year with Arizona, recording a 6.23 ERA and -1.4 bWAR in 117.0 innings. His strikeouts were down, his walks were up, and he ranked in the 30th percentile in hard-hit rate allowed.

However, prior to his struggles with the Diamondbacks, Montgomery was brilliant for the Texas Rangers in their run to the 2023 World Series, allowing just a 2.90 ERA in 31 postseason frames. He also posted a 2.79 ERA in the regular season after the Rangers acquired him around the trade deadline.

Considering the fact that the Brewers could use some veteran depth in their rotation — they could really use someone to fill the role José Quintana held in 2025 — Montgomery could be a perfect fit. The team already has familiarity with him, and he won't cost much after missing an entire season.

He alone wouldn't patch the holes in the pitching staff if Freddy Peralta is traded, but for a team that fancies savvy moves with lots of per-dollar upside, re-signing Montgomery would check a lot of boxes for the Brewers.