Jordan Montgomery entered spring training not only looking to stay healthy but also pitch well enough to earn time in the New York Yankees rotation. Three weeks later, Montgomery has all but guaranteed his spot as a starter.
The losses of James Paxton to start the season and Luis Severino for the entire campaign make Montgomery an essential asset to the Yankees. The next pitchers in line after him are Michael King, Clarke Schmidt, and Deivi Garcia.
But even if injuries didn’t necessitate Montgomery’s presence, he’s been very impressive in camp, and manager Aaron Boone taking notice.