Giants Linked To Ex-Cardinals Ace In 'Wild' Blockbuster Trade Idea; Is He Worth It?

The former St. Louis hurler is looking for another chance to prove himself

Sep 7, 2022; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; (Editors note: in camera multiple exposure) St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery (48) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff might see significant changes this winter as the front office searches for ways to reduce payroll for next season.

Several notable pitchers, such as ace Sonny Gray and closing pitcher Ryan Helsley, could be moved. With St. Louis not focused on building the best big-league roster possible, other teams might look to poach from the Cardinals' roster.

An ex-Cardinals pitcher may also be on the move, with Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller linking the San Francisco Giants to a former St. Louis southpaw.

"The Trade: Arizona Diamondbacks send left-handed pitcher Jordan Montgomery and cash considerations to San Francisco Giants for right-handed pitcher Josh Bostick," Miller wrote Wednesday when discussing "wild" trade ideas that could potentially occur this upcoming offseason.

After spending two solid seasons in St. Louis, in which he was considered the team's ace throughout certain points of the 2022 and 2023 seasons when the rotation was failing, Montgomery posted the worst campaign of his career -- logging an 8-7 record with a 6.23 ERA, 83-to-44 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .312 batting average against and a 1.65 WHIP in 117 innings pitched for Arizona this season.

Montgomery likely won't be welcomed back to the Diamondbacks after he exercises his $22.5 million player option for 2025. Considering how poorly the 2023 World Series champion pitched in 2024, Arizona will likely have to eat some of his contract to get rid of him.

The Giants, who might need a new ace after Blake Snell likely leaves this winter, could give Montgomery a fresh start with a new organization. If it weren't for missing all of spring training in 2024, Monty likely wouldn't have struggled nearly as severely as he did.

Acquiring Montgomery would be a low-risk, high-reward solution for the Giants. If he performs poorly in 2025, he'll become a free agent after the season ends, so it's not as if they have to commit to him long-term. It would be worth it for San Francisco to give the veteran hurler another chance to prove himself by trading for him this winter.

More MLB: Cherished Cardinals Hurler Reportedly 'Intends To Pitch' In 2025; Where Will He Land?