JORDAN MONTGOMERY: BACK ON THE HILL AGAIN

Source: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

I can't imagine what it was like for Jordan Montgomery last night as he went to sleep. He either felt giddy like Christmas Eve anticipation or anxious like the night before the SAT.  It's been a long time since Montgomery pitched in pinstripes. Back in May 2018, the Yankee pitcher went down in pain during his start against Houston. After Tommy John Surgery and months of painful and emotional rehab, he takes the mound this afternoon for the rubber game against Toronto.  With Montgomery back, what role will he take on as the Yankees surge toward the post-season?

Source: NY Post

“Hopefully he can get in some outings here to where it’s a momentum builder going into the offseason. But I wouldn’t rule out the fact if he comes out and pitches really well and efficiently he could push himself into that conversation,”said Aaron Boone as reported by the Daily News.
Boone says the 26-year-old is expected to throw about 60 pitches in his season debut today. With the JA Happ and CC Sabathia uncertainty, it would be great to see Montgomery step in and pick up where he left off 16-months ago.

Source: Wikipedia

"Before Montgomery underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2018, he looked like a quality homegrown arm for New York. Montgomery, a fourth-round pick of the Yankees in 2014, debuted in 2017 and proceeded to amass 182 2/3 innings and 35 starts of 3.84 ERA/4.09 FIP ball with 8.23 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 through last season," reports MLB Trade Rumors.  He suffered a set back earlier in the year when he threw harder than his arm was ready for, but now Montgomery says his mechanics are cleaner, his change up is more fluid and he's ready to take the helm today.

According to NJ.com, "Montgomery said it was “really nice to have’’ teammates Ben Heller and Didi Gregorius to lean on during the early part of his rehab. All three were recovering from Tommy John surgery and “they helped me get through the hardest times right out of surgery.’’

I have been looking forward to this day for such a long time myself as have all of you I am sure.  Let's hope he can strut into Rogers Centre confidently, be efficient with his pitches and do some damage against the young Blue Jay lineup.  That would set him and the Yankees up nicely for the next phase of the season and start of the playoffs.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof