Despite lots of speculation this offseason about a return to Texas, the Rangers and left-handed starter Jordan Montgomery do not appear to be headed for a reunion in free agency.

The following comes from MLBTradeRumors, but links to a report from Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (subscription required):

Many Rangers fans have thought throughout the offseason that an eventual reunion with left-hander Jordan Montgomery made good sense and would represent the team’s big splash in free agency this winter. Reporting connecting the two sides has been sparse, however, outside of general speculation on the strength of the fit and the Rangers’ need for durable innings. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News casts even more doubt on the Rangers’ chances of re-signing Montgomery in his latest mailbag column.

He was an integral part of the Rangers winning their first World Series title in 2023, going 4-2 in the regular season in 11 starts with a 2.79 ERA. He was traded to Texas at the trade deadline from the St. Louis Cardinals. He was particularly good in the ALCS, going 2-0 against the Houston Astros with a 1.29 ERA.

All in all, he’s pitched seven years in the big leagues with the New York Yankees, Cardinals and Rangers. He’s 38-34 with a 3.68 lifetime ERA in regular season.

If the Rangers don’t bring back Montgomery, they’ll have a hodgepodge rotation for the first half of the season. Jon Gray, Andrew Heaney and Nathan Eovaldi appear to be the anchors with Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom and Tyler Mahle all set to miss the first half of the season with injuries.