Something about the NL West makes the best of the best want to compete there, and the Arizona Diamondbacks, who defied expectations last season, want to prove to the nation that they aren't some fluke team that can't compete.
They signed the last big-name free agent on the market, netting LHP Jordan Montgomery to a one-year, 25 million-dollar contract with a vesting option for 25 million dollars next season.
The Diamondbacks already had a good starting rotation, with Zac Gallen slotting in as the ace, followed up by Eduardo Rodriquez, Merrill Kelly, and Brandon Pffadt. With the addition of Monty, who slots in as the No. 2 and bumps Henry to the bullpen. The Diamondbacks have a rotation consisting of a top 3 that can be an ace in any given situation, a back-end rotation guy in Kelly, who can be a No.2-3 in most rotations, and Pffadt, who's coming into his first entire season as a major league starter and who has the potential to be an upper part of the rotation guy.
As to what Montgomery did last season, he pitched 32 games with a 10-11 record, recording an ERA of 3.20 in 188.2 innings pitched, racking up 166 K's and a Whip of 1.19. With how stacked the NL West offense is (besides the Rockies), Monty can easily hold his own against these teams and be as reliable as possible.
Did I mention he was a vital piece in the Rangers' World Series run last year? With a 3-1 record in 6 appearances, he pitched a 2.90 ERA with 17 Ks and one sparkly World Series ring. This move solidified Arizona as one of the best teams in the National League and a dark horse candidate to make a deep playoff run once again. If it wasn't for being in a division with the Los Angeles Dodgers, this would have been their division to lose, but hey, it's baseball, and anything can happen.
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