Chicago Cubs Rumors: Jordan Montgomery might be first addition

The Chicago Cubs need multiple starting pitchers this off-season with there being an increase in speculation that they may trade for starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow of the Tampa Bay Rays.

If the Cubs do acquire Glasnow from the Rays, they would likely look among the second-tier of available free-agent starting pitchers for the second addition to their starting rotation this off-season.

One of those free-agent starting pitchers is Jordan Montgomery. Montgomery was a trade deadline acquisition for the Texas Rangers last season after starting the year with the St. Louis Cardinals. Montgomery was phenomenal during the second half of the season as he posted a 160 ERA+ in 67.2 innings pitched with a WHIP of 1.094.

There had been an expectation that starters like Montgomery may wait until Japanese free-agent Yoshinobu Yamamoto signs to find a home but that wasn't the indication of ESPN's Jeff Passan (Subscription Required). Passan mentions that teams interested in Montgomery may look to jump the market and while that was about the Boston Red Sox, the ESPN insider also mentioned the Cubs.

Montgomery has the profile of the type of pitcher that the Cubs have targeted in the past. When Montgomery is at his best, he generates weak contact while inducing groundballs. That would mesh well for a Cubs' middle infield that includes two Gold Glovers in shortstop Dansby Swanson and second baseman Nico Hoerner.

With the Cubs looking to add two starting pitchers this off-season, Montgomery would be the perfect compliment to a potential trade for Glasnow.

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