'Much better': DBacks' Jordan Montgomery feeling better after backfield game

With reporters surrounding him, Jordan Montgomery stood in front of his locker with a smile on his face. This has been something of a rare sight during his time with the Diamondbacks, but the left-hander had reason to be pleased on Thursday afternoon.

Montgomery threw parts of two innings in a simulated game. Unlike last weekend in Goodyear, he mostly threw strikes. He recorded outs. He felt more like himself.

“Much better,” he said.

After Montgomery gave up five runs in one-third of an inning on Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds, the Diamondbacks opted to push Thursday’s outing into a backfield setting. They were wary about rain in the forecast and wanted to ensure he pitched — but they also liked the idea of a controlled environment.

Facing big-league veterans Geraldo Perdomo, Ildemaro Vargas and Ketel Marte and prospect Slade Caldwell, Montgomery didn’t exactly dominate, but he didn’t look overmatched, either.

With his fastball mostly in the 89-91 mph range, he worked the equivalent of 1 2/3 innings, walking two, striking out two and giving up four singles, none of them particularly hard hit.

“I thought, obviously, from where he was in the first outing, this was definitely a nice step,” pitching coach Brian Kaplan said. “He’s been working on it and he’s starting to feel it, being a little more in sync. Now we can add a little more power and confidence in it. He’s getting there.”

Montgomery remains the most intriguing storyline of camp. Coming off a brutal season last year in which he posted a 6.23 ERA in 117 innings, he exercised his player option to return for $22.5 million this year.

Montgomery is competing for the Diamondbacks’ final rotation spot with right-handers Brandon Pfaadt and Ryne Nelson. Both are less accomplished major-league pitchers but also are coming off far better 2024 seasons. What the Diamondbacks opt to do with Montgomery to start the year — particularly if he struggles again in the final weeks of camp — looms a major question for a club that missed the playoffs by just one game last year.

Montgomery thought he did a better job on Thursday of relaxing and not trying to force things to happen.

“The hitters get in the box and you’re just trying to jump to the plate,” he said of his last outing. “You’ve just got to be patient and let it happen. You aren’t going to throw strikes doing that. So just trying to break that habit.”

Montgomery liked that he was able to get immediate feedback from his teammates. He chatted afterward with Perdomo, who told him his sinker was “heavy and moving late.” Montgomery laughed when recalling how Perdomo asked why he didn’t throw it more.

“‘Because I’ve got to work on everything, Gerry,’” Montgomery said. “But, yeah, good feedback. I liked the curveball. Just a step in the right direction.”

Montgomery’s next outing is likely to be back in the Cactus League, Kaplan said, perhaps on Wednesday.

“He wants to create a better narrative out here and contribute to the team,” Kaplan said. “He knows how talented the team is. I think he was a little frustrated at what he was able to contribute based on the first outing. He wants to do more. I think he’s heading in that direction.”

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'Much better': Diamondbacks' Montgomery encouraged by backfield game

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