"How about drop 35 pounds and go to spring training?" - MLB fans react to Jordan Montgomery's comment on the humidity inside Chase Field

The Arizona Diamondbacks lost the series opener at Chase Field on Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies. Jordan Montgomery failed to lead the D-backs and lost the game 4-6, bringing their season record to 63-53.

Montgomery pitched for 5.2 innings and gave up four runs, all earned, and eight hits. He now has a 6.37 ERA in 83.1 innings in 17 games (7-6 record). In the postgame interview, Montgomery expressed his pitching experience at Chase Field, the Diamondbacks' home field.

"It's like pitching in a jungle here sometimes. I don't know how it gets so humid, but I swear it's less humid in St. Louis during the summer than here… maybe we need to open the roof or something. It’s crazy," Montgomery said.

It’s his second time playing for a National League team in his career, after playing for the St. Louis Cardinals briefly during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Montgomery compared Arizona’s ballpark with the “jungle” due to its high humidity, which might have affected his performance.

However, fans didn’t buy his reasoning, believing this season’s poor performance was due to his own shortcomings. They took to social media to voice their opinions.

“How about drop 35 pounds and go to spring training?” a fan commented.

“You can’t run to cover 1B from the mound. You’re completely gassed at 80 pitches. You have no idea how to manage a Pitch Clock. It’s 2024, and I suggest you wonder down a few lockers to the one with the name “Marte” above it. Ask him about his off-season workout regiment. Bottom line: you’re not a MLB-caliber starting pitcher mentally or physically,” a fan tweeted.

“Dude should hit up the Jungle Box tropical plant store on McDowell road if he wants to feel some PHX "humidity," a fan replied.

A section of fans expressed displeasure with Montogomery’s comments and demanded to get him off the lineup as the D-backs eye the NL West pennant.

“Once Kelly returns to the rotation, Montgomery won’t have to worry about humidity, or heat, or anything else because he’ll be sent back to Reno where he belongs,” a fan commented.

“Needs to be in AAA if dbacks wanna compete for first place now,” a fan tweeted.

“This is that it looks and sounds like to lose $25 million bucks,” a fan replied.

After a long offseason generated a lot of interested other MLB clubs, in March 2024 Jordan Montgomery signed a $25 million contract for the 2024 season with an option for next season. As a result of the last-minute signing, he missed the entirety of spring training.

Jordan Montgomery could help the Diamondbacks complete their unfinished mission

Jordan Montgomery is looking for another postseason entry with last year’s runner-up, Arizona Diamondbacks, whom he defeated to become the World Series Champions with the Texas Rangers. Last season, the D-backs had a dramatic post-season by defeating higher-seeded teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies in a playoff run.

However, Arizona fell short of winning the World Series. If the D-backs enter the postseason in 2024, it’ll be Montgomery's third consecutive playoff appearance, and second for the National League.