MLB Rumors: Rangers interested in re-signing Jordan Montgomery
The Texas Rangers' World Series run featured explosive offense from Adolis Garcia, Corey Seager, and others. But, the driving force was arguably Texas' trade deadline maneuvers on the pitching front. The Rangers swung a couple of high-profile trades for Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery, poaching both from National League pretenders in need of draft capital.
As it turns out, elite pitching depth is quite useful in the playoffs. Texas was able to lean heavily on both Scherzer and Montgomery on the big stage, but it was Montgomery who was especially impressive during the Rangers' gutsy ALCS victory over the Houston Astros. He made two starts and pitched an important relief stretch behind Scherzer in Game 7, finishing the series with a 1.29 ERA, 13 hits, and 10 strikeouts in 14.0 innings pitched. He concluded the postseason 4-2 overall, with a 2.90 ERA and 3.90 FIP.
Naturally, the Rangers want him to stick around. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Rangers "hope to bring back" Montgomery, who had only started one postseason game prior to the 2023 season. The New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals, Montgomery's other former teams, have also registered interest, but one has to imagine his success in Texas is enough to spur a reunion.
Montgomery is bound to have other suitors on top of Texas, New York, and St. Louis, but the Rangers are the undeniable favorites in the clubhouse.
MLB Rumors: Giants "all-in" on Shohei Ohtani, Cody Bellinger, others
The San Francisco Giants are a historically frugal franchise, with last season's squad notoriously short on established, expensive star talent. Still, the Giants have tried to pry high-profile stars away from their teams in recent years — most notably Aaron Judge in a contested 2022 offseason.
It would appear the Giants' strategy for the 2023 offseason is more of the same. According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, San Francisco is "all in" on this free agent class.
"I have been told by multiple agents that the Giants are "all-in" on this year's free-agent market and appear prepared to spend significant dollars on multiple star-level players. I'll be surprised if they don't sign at least two impact free agents this offseason. If they can't land [Cody] Bellinger, I think they'll pursue [Juan] Soto, but I highly doubt the Padres will trade him within their division if they do move him."
Bowden wrote the above paragraph in response to a question about the Giants potentially targeting Shohei Ohtani and/or Blake Snell, the American League MVP and National League Cy Young winners, respectively. The Giants apparently have a loaded checkbook and the motivation to make a deal. New manager Bob Melvin could have quite the squad to organize once spring training arrives.
The Giants are explicitly or implicitly connected to Ohtani, Bellinger, Soto, and Snell in Bowden's report. That doesn't mean the Giants are favorites to sign any of them, but a motivated team in a desirable location has the ability to generate noise. Plus, if the Giants land one star, in makes them all the more appealing as a destination for the second star. Players want to play for teams that are willing to spend to win, and clearly the Giants have that urge.
MLB Rumors: Cubs could target Rhys Hoskins as Cody Bellinger backup plan
The expectation is that Cody Bellinger will sign a lucrative new contract in the range of 5-7 years. While the Chicago Cubs would no doubt love to bring him back, there's valid concern tied to such a significant investment in a player with Bellinger's injury history and spotty track record.
Bellinger was a dominant force for the Cubs in 2023, slashing .307/.356/.525 with 26 home runs and 97 RBIs in 499 at-bats (130 games). He's also a flexible fielder, capable of lining up at 1B or any outfield spot. That makes it extremely easy for a number of teams to find room for Bellinger on the field and in their lineup.
On the other hand, Bellinger finished the 2022 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers slashing .210/.265/.389 in 144 games. In 2021, he slashed .165/.240/.302 in 95 games. Shoulder injuries and the COVID pandemic did not treat Bellinger kindly, but he was plainly bad for two seasons. The Cubs unearthed his prior magic — that of the 2019 National League MVP — but it's hard to trust Bellinger as an infallible superstar.
If Chicago does let Bellinger walk, Jim Bowden of The Athletic points to Rhys Hoskins as a potential Plan B. The Philadelphia Phillies have moved Bryce Harper to first base full-time, all but ending Hoskins' stint with the franchise after seven years. Hoskins spent all of 2023 rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered in spring training, but he was a powerhouse hitter who contributed amply to the Phillies' 2022 World Series run before the injury. That season, Hoskins slashed .246/.332/.462 with 30 home runs and 79 RBIs in 589 at-bats (156 games). He's not Bellinger, but he's a potent bat to anchor the middle of the lineup and address the Cubs' hole at first base.
Chicago has also been tied to New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso, another first baseman, not to mention Ohtani. It's clear the Cubs want to boost the lineup for new manager Craig Counsell, but Hoskins is probably the most affordable player who can be termed a Bellinger "replacement."