3 Mets trades for Jordan Montgomery that could make sense for both teams

Jordan Montgomery is one of the most often-discussed trade candidates this offseason. The high-profile criticism he has received from the Arizona Diamondbacks owner who took the blame for the signing has Montgomery mentioned in plenty of trade speculation. The New York Mets are a couple arms short in their rotation and while they shouldn’t be in any rush to make a deal, it’s difficult to ignore how much of a match they could be.

The Diamondbacks are willing to eat some of the $22.5 million owed to Montgomery this year. Is there a way we can find a trade that, at least in theory, works for both clubs?

1) Diamondbacks trade Jordan Montgomery to the Mets for Starling Marte

This is a whack-a-doo type of deal that would make much more sense if the Mets didn’t like Starling Marte. It does seem as if they do like him (both as a person and player) which makes this a doubtful event to actually take place. Let’s argue it anyway because the numbers tell a different tale.

Montgomery and Marte are close in relation to their 2025 salaries. Marte is slightly less at $20.75 million. It’s quite a lot for a guy we can trust to miss half of the year. More of a DH these days than an actual outfielder when he last suited up for Arizona for 33 games in 2020, he’d be a candidate to take on a similar role for the Diamondbacks as he will for the Mets this coming season.

The Diamondbacks lost Joc Pederson in free agency and are waiting to find out if first baseman Christian Walker will return. They have available at-bats for a player like Marte who right now is probably best equipped to have 120 scheduled starts.

Dealing Marte away helps the Mets by clearing out a roster spot they can better utilize on a different starting right fielder or even a DH. The best laid out plan would have Marte shifting into a DH role which feels a bit uninspired considering his lack of power.

Why this trade won’t work is it doesn’t really save either team much money. Yes, the Mets have opened up room to replace Marte but they’d need to do it by spending on someone. It’s nice in theory.

3) Diamondbacks trade Jordan Montgomery to the Mets for Luke Ritter

There are some more creative directions we could’ve gone with this final trade. Let’s stay on the wall a little bit. What about swapping Montgomery for Luke Ritter? Stop fussing. He is going to get taken in the Rule 5 Draft anyway if the Mets don’t do something about it.

Preferably, the Mets use Ritter to add something more controllable than a veteran starter coming off of a terrible season. Who are we to complain? The fact that this seventh round pick has come to earn any value whatsoever is a huge win.

Inconceivably, Ritter would quickly become a contender to at least see some action in Arizona as their first baseman. A prototypical utility player in the minor leagues with no one specific position, this 27-year-old’s powerful bat over the last two seasons should be intriguing enough for the Diamondbacks to at least take a chance to see if there’s something there—even if it’s just a few really good months.

The same rules apply as they do with Ramirez. The Mets must only make this deal if Arizona is handing Montgomery over at a big discount. Half of his salary staying on the Diamondbacks payroll might be too much to ask. The only appeal of the trade would be if the Mets are adding $10 million or less to their salary. Montgomery needs to look like a free agent bargain and based on last year’s class of free agents that included Luis Severino and Sean Manaea, $10 million seems like only a little less than what a bargain would be.

Ritter won’t have exceptional value because of how much he strikes out among other limitations. He’ll probably have a career more similar to what DJ Stewart evolved into. A good role-player in the making, his future doesn’t have him calling Citi Field home.