Just as the dust settles on the start of Spring Training, the Texas Rangers have made a move that’s sure to get fans talking: left-handed pitcher Jordan Montgomery is officially returning to Arlington. On February 11, 2026, Montgomery agreed to a one-year deal worth $1.25 million, plus performance bonuses, to rejoin the club he helped lead to its first World Series title just three seasons ago. The deal, confirmed by multiple sources, marks a homecoming for a pitcher whose postseason heroics are still fresh in Rangers lore—even if his road back to the mound is paved with uncertainty and rehab assignments.
Montgomery, now 33, is currently rehabbing from his second Tommy John surgery, performed in March 2025 by Dr. Keith Meister, a Rangers team physician. That procedure sidelined him for the entire 2025 Major League season, and he’ll open the 2026 campaign on the 60-day injured list. The Rangers will need to clear a spot on their already-full 40-man roster before the signing becomes official and they can place Montgomery on the IL. While the exact timeline for his return remains up in the air, the expectation is that he could be available to pitch sometime during the summer—potentially providing a vital midseason boost to a rotation with championship ambitions.
Montgomery’s journey back to Texas is as winding as it is compelling. After his first Tommy John surgery in 2018, performed by Dr. Christopher Ahmad during his days with the New York Yankees, Montgomery steadily rebuilt his career. He was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2022, where he impressed new Rangers manager Skip Schumaker, then the Cards’ bench coach. “He was phenomenal,” Schumaker recalled. “Back then, I didn’t really know much about him. When he came over, he dominated for us, helped with that second-half push to get into the playoffs. He was a great clubhouse guy. Everybody loved him on our staff. Obviously, I know what he did for Texas in ‘23, so yeah, he’s awesome.”
It’s what Montgomery did for Texas in 2023 that etched his name in franchise history. Acquired at the trade deadline from St. Louis, he immediately solidified the rotation, going 4-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 11 regular-season starts. But his postseason performance made him a DFW legend. In six playoff appearances, Montgomery went 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA, tossing 31 innings and allowing just ten earned runs. He set the tone in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card series against the Tampa Bay Rays, hurling seven shutout innings—including a memorable diving catch on a bunt attempt—in a 4-0 Rangers win. He later delivered 6 1/3 scoreless frames in Game 1 of the ALCS against the Houston Astros and capped his ALCS heroics with 2 1/3 innings of relief in the Game 7 clincher in Houston. Though his lone World Series appearance saw him allow four runs over six innings in Game 2 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Montgomery’s October heroics were crucial in delivering Texas its first-ever championship.
Following that magical run, Montgomery hit free agency, lingering on the market longer than expected as part of the so-called “Boras Four.” He eventually signed a one-year deal with the Diamondbacks after the 2024 season began, but his time in Arizona was rocky. Montgomery struggled mightily, posting a 6.23 ERA over 117 innings, with his velocity down and opponents feasting on his once-reliable sinker. He was demoted to the bullpen, missed nearly a month with a knee injury, and finished the season with 83 strikeouts. Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick didn’t mince words, publicly criticizing the deal as a “horrible decision” before Montgomery exercised his $22.5 million option for 2025. However, a torn UCL discovered during spring training led to his second Tommy John surgery, and he never threw a pitch for Arizona that year. Traded to Milwaukee in July 2025, Montgomery again didn’t take the mound, finishing the season as a free agent.
Across eight big league seasons with the Yankees, Cardinals, Rangers, and Diamondbacks, Montgomery owns a 46-41 record with a 4.03 ERA in 166 games (161 starts). His best stretch came from 2021 to 2023, when he made at least 30 starts each season and posted ERAs under 4.00, including a career-best 3.20 ERA and 136 ERA+ in 2023. Even after the setbacks of 2024 and 2025, the Rangers’ decision to bring him back—despite a relatively modest salary—signals a vote of confidence in his ability to regain form.
So what’s next for Montgomery and the Rangers? For now, he’ll continue his rehab, with his return to pitching projected for the second half of the 2026 season. When he’s ready, Montgomery could slot into a rotation that’s already among the deepest in baseball. The current projected starters include Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, MacKenzie Gore, and Jack Leiter, with Jacob Latz and Kumar Rocker competing for the fifth spot. Manager Skip Schumaker emphasized the importance of depth: “The pitching depth is real. You need, typically, nine or ten to get through a season, and we’re hoping for health. There’s not many teams that have the same five every day, so you need depth. There’s no doubt about that. Our front office is doing everything they can to help us create that.”
Montgomery’s versatility adds further intrigue. While he’s best known as a starter, he’s also shown the ability to pitch out of the bullpen—a role he filled for Texas in the 2023 ALCS clincher. Depending on how the rotation shakes out and the health of the staff, Montgomery could compete for the fifth starter role or bolster the bullpen. Injuries to key arms like deGrom, Eovaldi, or Gore—who all missed time in 2025—could open the door for Montgomery to play a pivotal role down the stretch.
The Rangers’ willingness to wait for Montgomery’s recovery, rather than sign a pitcher ready for Opening Day, suggests confidence in the current rotation and a belief that Montgomery’s upside is worth the gamble. After a tumultuous two years, both player and club are hoping that a familiar environment and a supportive clubhouse can help Montgomery rediscover the magic of 2023.
As the Rangers chase another title, all eyes will be on Montgomery’s rehab progress. Can he recapture the form that made him a postseason hero? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure: the Texas faithful will be eager to welcome him back, hoping for another chapter of October glory. For now, Montgomery’s comeback story is one of the most intriguing subplots of the Rangers’ 2026 campaign.