Last night, Jordan Montgomery ($10 million) did better than a Hall of Famer who earns $43.3 million per season.
I know, I know: it’s unfair to compare the salary of a pitcher who was not eligible for arbitration to that of a man paid for his past exploits by Steve Cohen, namely Justin Verlander.
But even if Verlander faced a more formidable offensive lineup, it’s the same.
In a 2-0 win over the Astros, Montgomery pitched 6.1 innings giving up just five hits. He beat six guys without giving up a point.
This is the second time in three playoff games that he has been excellent. Against the Rays, on the first day of the playoffs, he pitched for seven innings without giving up a single run.
This means that in three playoff games, he has an average of 2.08 and two (high) quality starts. And clearly, for a future free agent, that’s worth gold.
The Rangers needed, with Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer on the sidelines, a point guard. And even if Scherzer has just returned, the leader is the imposing Montgomery.
And everyone recognizes that. After all, he Really been good…especially against Yordan Alvarez, a real batting threat.
I’m not saying that Justin Verlander and his two earned runs in six-plus innings wasn’t good.
That said, someone who is a veteran of New York – like Montgomery – hasn’t generated momentum in a vacuum too often. It’s not ideal against the mighty Rangers, let’s say.
The Rangers, undefeated in the playoffs and with a differential of 22 in six games, are therefore in the driver’s chair to start this series.
We’re going to have a great show.
- It will be a big duel at 4:37 p.m.
