Diamondbacks $22.5 Million 'Dilemma' Could Be Royals' Blockbuster Trade Addition

Should Kansas City make a blockbuster trade?

Jun 7, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; A general view of an Arizona Diamondbacks hat and Rawlings glove in the dugout during the fifth inning of the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-Imagn Images / Scott Taetsch-Imagn Images

The 2024 season was a solid building block for the Kansas City Royals franchise. Now, it's all about carrying that momentum into 2025.

The Royals cannot be satisfied with scrapping for a playoff spot again next season. Superstar Bobby Witt Jr. is far too talented to play for a team without a serious chance at a World Series win. Kansas City can be a World Series team if things break right, but it will require reinforcements.

The lineup may be a more pressing need than the starting rotation at first glance, but the Royals have to count on some regression in 2025. Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans, and Brady Singer all had career years, while veteran Michael Wacha could be on his way out of town.

With payroll already higher than it has been in most recent seasons, the Royals could look to the trade market for another starting pitcher. One possibility is embattled Arizona Diamondbacks Jordan Montgomery, who was recently listed as Arizona's most likely trade candidate this winter by Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer.

"The D-backs' $25 million investment in Montgomery yielded a 6.23 ERA this season, so... if the lefty exercises (as he likely will) his $22.5 million option for 2025, the Snakes will have a dilemma on their hands," Rymer said.

"Rather than keeping the 31-year-old, the best thing for everyone would be a trade that would give him a fresh start elsewhere. The D-backs would presumably have to eat some of his 2025 salary to facilitate a deal, but likely not the entire sum."

While 2024 was a disastrous season for Montgomery, there's also an obvious reason it was such a struggle: The lefty didn't have a traditional Spring Training. He and several other Scott Boras clients (Montgomery dumped Boras as his agent earlier this season) were unsigned until mid-March, ultimately taking short-term contracts and banking on hitting free agency again soon.

Montgomery won't be hitting free agency, but it's likely Arizona will look to move on from him if they can. That opens the door for the Royals to land a pitcher who was instrumental to the most recent World Series title team, at potentially a fraction of the cost it would normally require.

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