Yankees’ Montgomery is happy with where he is at and is primed for a big season

We have said many times on this website that the New York Yankees need some stability in their rotation, as there are some injury-prone members after Gerrit Cole. Jameson Taillon and Corey Kluber have all the talent in the world, but the truth is that they haven’t pitched much, if at all, in the last two years.

That’s where a guy like Jordan Montgomery enters the equation. A Tommy John surgery survivor himself, ‘Gumby’ is a crucial part of the 2021 Yankees because he can provide a nice floor, a considerable ceiling, and some certainty. In 2020, he showed that the elbow procedure is well in the rearview mirror, and he will enter this campaign with no limitations.

Montgomery, and the Yankees, are very happy with his current state. On Sunday, he tossed 42 pitched against the Philadelphia Phillies, 28 of them in the strike zone, to lead the team to a 4-0 victory at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Monty was on the mound for three innings and didn’t concede any runs or walks, with two hits and one strikeout. He was in control.

“It was good to get some work in with guys on base,” Montgomery said to MLB.com. “That’s the best it could have worked out, to give up two soft singles and work out of it. I got to work on holding runners and just feel the pressure of having guys on base, so I’m pretty happy with where I am.”

The Yankees need Monty to flourish

Last season with the Yankees, Montgomery was a part of the rotation from start to finish, and while he did post a 5.11 ERA, his 3.87 FIP tells a different story. He was unlucky, and there is some positive regression to be expected in 2021.

Monty said that the peace that the fact he had a spot in the rotation locked up gave him allowed him to work on his mechanics. He looks better than ever, and with the opportunity to learn from Kluber, he should have a very good year.

“Kluber is a man of few words,” Montgomery said. “I’ve talked to him a little bit; we had breakfast a couple of days. You can just watch him and learn so much, the way he carries himself and gets after it in the weight room. He knows what he’s doing there; he’s got a plan. He’s attacking the hitters and he doesn’t really miss.”