"Laughing stock of baseball" - Red Sox fans downcast as team reportedly considered to be out of Jordan Montgomery race

The Boston Red Sox are reportedly running out of time to sign free agent Jordan Montgomery. Montgomery hit free agency this past offseason after signing club and player contracts with the incumbent World Series champions, the Texas Rangers.

While many believe that Montgomery is in talks with the Rangers, time doesn't seem to favor the free agent as franchises hit the ground running in 2024 Spring Training before the start of two premier leagues (the Cactus and Grapefruit leagues).

For the past couple of weeks, the Red Sox have kept tabs on the southpaw. MLB insider Alex Speier believes that if Montgomery were willing to sign a short-term deal, it would be with a ballclub that possesses a better chance of contending for the World Series than the Red Sox.

The news prompted MLB fans to voice their discontent at the Red Sox organization. Some of the fan reactions on X, formerly Twitter, were as follows:

"You don't say, this team is the laughing stock of baseball" - miketesta18

Over several seasons, starting pitching has been Boston's most pressing need, with the other AL East teams stacking up their bullpen.

This offseason, the Red Sox lost Corey Kluber, James Paxton and Chris Sale as starters. Rather than bringing in three starters, Boston signed Lucas Giolito and will rely on its relievers to fill the position of starting pitcher in the upcoming season.

Despite having the resources and opportunity to contract any starting pitcher they like, the Red Sox look set to field a subpar team next season.

Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery are both still available in the free agency market, and Boston could afford either one of them, but the waiting game is expected to cost the Red Sox dearly as these two aces gravitate towards a team with a better chance of winning the World Series next season.

Jordan Montgomery produced Cy Young-worthy numbers in triumphant 2023 season

The 6-foot-6 southpaw, who won the World Series with the Texas Rangers last season, is coming off a 2023 campaign that saw him record 10 victories and a career-high 166 strikeouts in 32 starts between the Cardinals and Rangers. In 188.2 innings between St. Louis and Texas, the 31-year-old recorded a career-best stat line of 3.20 ERA and a career-best 3.56 FIP.

Through 755 innings in the MLB, Jordan Montgomery – who has made 140 starts for the Yankees, Cardinals and Rangers – has a 38-34 record and a 3.68 ERA.