With the Cubs signing Yu Darvish this weekend, the team was starting to look complete as pitchers and catchers set to report later this week. A rotation of Darvish, Jose Quintana, Kyle Hendricks, Jon Lester, Tyler Chatwood, with Mike Montgomery as a swingman gave the Cubs an excellent group of starters.
However, a source close to Sports Mockery says that the Cubs are starting to receive calls about Montgomery and if he is currently available.
Hearing the #Cubs are getting calls about Mike Montgomery's availability. The #BlueJays and #Orioles are among the five times reportedly interested in the lefty swing-man
— Sean Sears (@seanrsears) February 12, 2018
The two teams named, being Toronto and Baltimore, are in serious need of pitching. However, neither have the resources to spend big on arms at this moment, but both need pitching badly. The Orioles, as it stands now, are heading into 2018 with a rotation that features Kevin Gausman, Dylan Bundy, and essentially a collection of fill-in starters.
The Blue Jays aren’t off much better, even with a talented arm like Marcus Stroman, the rest of the rotation isn’t great. Marco Estrada and Aaron Sanchez likely won’t cut it in the competitive AL East.
But why would the Cubs make a move?
And that’s the question we need to answer here, why would the Cubs move Montgomery? They love his flexibility, he’s proven himself in the postseason the last two seasons. Outside of Montgomery pushing for a trade, he has shown a preference to starting games, there is no reason for the Cubs to trade Montgomery.
The offer would have to blow the Cubs away, and I just don’t see Montgomery commanding much. It would defeat the purpose of why teams are inquiring about Montgomery in the first place. Cut and dry, I don’t see this trade making sense unless a team is willing to overpay for Montgomery’s services.
His role is too important and he holds to much value for the Cubs to part ways with him just because teams have called asking about him.