MILWAUKEE -- Lefty Jordan Montgomery, acquired by the Brewers in a Trade Deadline deal while recovering from Tommy John surgery and sidelined into next season, popped in for a visit at American Family Field Saturday afternoon before the Brewers took on the Cardinals with a postseason berth on the line.
“I’m happy to be here,” Montgomery said in the Brewers dugout, joined by his wife, McKenzie. “I’m not trying to get in anybody’s way. I just wanted to meet the coaching staff and be around a baseball field again and get out of Nashville.”
But the trip to Milwaukee was more than just about baseball. The Montgomerys made a donation to Ronald McDonald House Charities, an organization near and dear to the couple.
“I just wanted to get something done for Milwaukee,” Montgomery said. “Ronald McDonald House is something close to our hearts.
Montgomery, 32, has pitched parts of eight seasons in the Major Leagues with the Yankees (2017-22), Cardinals (2022-23), Rangers (2023) and Diamondbacks (2024). He underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery in April. Montgomery has missed this entire season and isn’t likely to return until well into next season.
Montgomery signed a one-year contract with a vesting option with the Diamondbacks prior to 2024 and will be a free agent after this season.
The Brewers acquired Montgomery as part of a deal that also brought reliever Shelby Miller, who is now out for the season and likely headed for his second Tommy John surgery, to Milwaukee. The Brewers agreed to take on Montgomery in the deal and at least $2 million of what remains on his $22.5 million salary before he reaches free agency in the fall -- including a $500,000 bonus in his contract for getting traded, sources told MLB.com at the time of the trade.
The bonus prompted Montgomery to donate to a charitable cause in Milwaukee, where he may, or may not, play next season.
“Anything I can do to help, whatever team I’m on, to be part of the community,” Montomgery said. “It was such a weird trade, I had a clause in my contract and it felt like it was the right thing to do.”
Montgomery said he’s on schedule to start throwing again within the next two weeks or so.
“I got the boring part out of the way,” he said.
Given the Brewers' success in developing -- and resurrecting -- the careers of pitchers, Montgomery said he’d welcome an opportunity for a fresh start in Milwaukee.
“I’m definitely interested in being a part of this team,” he said. “They’re really good. They’re really good with pitchers. They play good defense. What’s not to like.”
This was Montgomery’s second Tommy John surgery, with the first coming in 2018. This most recent procedure was performed by Dr. Keith Meister, who recommended that Montgomery’s rehab be carried out in Nashville.
The Brewers have been keeping tabs on Montgomery’s recovery.
“They check in on me every Friday,” he said. “It’s nice having someone check in on you.”