D-backs' offensive breakout wasted behind Montgomery's rough start

NEW YORK -- D-backs left-hander Jordan Montgomery had a game on Friday night he would like to forget. He allowed a career-high eight runs (six earned) while striking out four during a 10-9 loss to the Mets at Citi Field.

It was obvious by the look on his face that Montgomery felt bad about letting his team down. Had the left-hander pitched well, the D-backs might have won the game, especially with the way they were swinging the bat.

The team collected nine hits, and it rallied in the ninth by scoring a combined four runs off Mets relievers Sean Reid-Foley and Reed Garrett to make it a one-run game. Joc Pederson and Christian Walker highlighted the inning with home runs on the first pitches they saw. All four runs came with two outs before Lourdes Gurriel Jr. struck out to end the game.

“I wasted a good offensive night for the guys, and I really stunk it up for them,” Montgomery said.

After a nice outing against the Marlins last Saturday in which he pitched six solid innings, Montgomery took a few steps back against the Mets.

The game got off to a great start as Arizona gave Montgomery a 3-0 lead after a half inning against New York right-hander Luis Severino. But suddenly, the D-backs were trailing by two runs by the time the second inning came to an end.

Four batters into the bottom half of the first inning, the Mets had the bases loaded when Starling Marte cleared them with a triple. Marte then came home on an infield single by Mark Vientos.

An inning later, New York was up, 5-3. Tomás Nido led off with a double and came home on a double by Francisco Lindor. After that, Montgomery started to settle down by retiring seven of the next nine hitters he faced. But with one out in the fourth inning, the Mets added three more runs. Marte highlighted the scoring with a run-scoring single, his fourth RBI of the game.

That fourth inning would be the last for Montgomery. He saw his ERA jump from 4.69 to 5.48. It hasn’t helped that his main pitch -- the sinker -- is acting like a batting practice pitch. The Mets were 3-for-5 with two doubles and a triple against the sinker, raising the opponents’ batting average on it from .355 to .373 (25-for-67) for the season.

“I have to find a way to get it to move and be down in the zone,” Montgomery said. “I just have to get it to sync up. I’m just throwing it and not even pitching anymore.”

Montgomery became a free agent after spending the 2023 season with the Cardinals and Rangers, but he didn’t sign with the D-backs until March 29, which was the second game of the regular season. That meant he didn’t have the proper Spring Training to jell with his teammates or get ready for the season. Yes, he worked hard near his offseason home, but it’s not the same as Spring Training with a professional team.

Montgomery will not use the lack of Spring Training as an excuse for his slow start to the season.

“I’m not making any more excuses. I just have to be better,” he said.

To manager Torey Lovullo, a full Spring Training makes a difference for a pitcher like Montgomery.

“There is one common denominator: Everything has been normal with the exception of his preparation to start the season. I think there is a strong possibility it has had an impact,” the skipper said. “You have to ask him. He came out really throwing the ball well for us [to start the season]. … Everything is offset by a month or six or seven weeks. Spring Training is a great time of the year. You step into the clubhouse when it’s dark. You eat breakfast, sit down with your boys, go out and get your work in. You can’t replace that time. It’s a challenge. I know it’s a challenge.”

Montgomery has five days to figure things out, go out on the mound and improve during his next outing, which will most likely be against the Padres on Thursday.