What happened in the MLB Wild Card Series: Full results, analysis and Division Series preview

When the Yankees sent left-hander Jordan Montgomery to the Cardinals at the 2022 trade deadline, part of their rationale was they did not envision him making their postseason rotation. Fourteen months later, Montgomery will start Game 1 for the Texas Rangers in their wild-card series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

“I’m just trying to get better every year,” said Montgomery, whom the Rangers acquired from the Cardinals at this year’s deadline. “It worked out. I think everybody in the Yankees’ organization I’ve ever been around knows how hard I work. So, it was kind of bound to happen.”

That he would become this guy?

“Yeah, I’m sure they saw the potential,” Montgomery said. “They might have given up on me, but I think it was the best thing for me to get to the Cardinals and get set up with Mad Dog (pitching coach Mike Maddux, who this season joined the Rangers). Our pitching philosophies are much closer.”

Maddux encouraged Montgomery to dramatically increase the use of his four-seam fastball, reasoning, “He’s got a good one, why not?” Montgomery reverted to his sinker as his predominant fastball this season, continuing that pattern even after reuniting with Maddux. Opponents hit .333 off his four-seamer.

Still, as Montgomery put it, “You can’t just throw changeups. That is a pitch you have to set up.” Maddux said, “He’s a little smarter. He kind of understands himself, what he can do. One thing last year when we got him, it was, ‘think for yourself,’ instead of, ‘here’s your guardrails.’”

Overall, Montgomery is throwing 43 percent sinkers, 23 percent changeups, 22 percent curveballs, 11 percent four-seamers and 2 percent cutters. He probably would not be starting Game 1 if Jacob deGrom and/or Max Scherzer were healthy. But in 11 starts with the Rangers, his ERA is 2.79. In 32 starts with the Cardinals in 2022 and 2023, it was 3.31.

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