ARLINGTON — Here’s how the Texas Rangers managed to finalize their five-man rotation and seriously solidify their bullpen in one single transaction.
“I don’t think there’s this defined role that we have for him,” Schumaker said. “We’re at the point where we need our best guys going, and we feel like he’s one of our best, obviously.”
Schumaker said left-handed pitcher Cody Bradford (who also returned from elbow surgery this week) will remain in the rotation while right-handed pitcher Cal Quantrill (who’s started games for the last two months) will return to the bullpen. Bradford has more big league bullpen experience than Montgomery but will operate as the club’s fifth starter because, as Schumaker said, he’s “just been really good in the minor leagues.” The 28-year-old had a 2.25 ERA in five minor league rehab games, and in his big league season debut against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, he pitched 4 ⅓ scoreless innings.
“That’s just the bottom line,” Schumaker said of Bradford. “His stuff has looked like what it was a few years ago and obviously that’s super effective. That’s no knock on Monty,. It’s just that Cody has been good, and then we gave him that start and he kind of proved to us that he deserves to be in the rotation.”
Montgomery, whom the Rangers signed in spring training, had a 3.75 ERA in eight minor league rehab games. The bulk of his career bullpen experience came two seasons ago, with the Arizona Diamondbacks, less than a year after he helped lead the Rangers to their first World Series title.
“I’m just trying to help the team,” Montgomery said, “so whatever they need me to do.”
Quantrill has a 3.34 ERA in seven starts this season and shined as a fill-in after right-handed pitcher Jack Leiter underwent ankle surgery two months ago. He had operated as the bullpen’s primary long reliever beforehand, but per Schumaker, it remains to be determined how he’ll be used this time around. The Rangers needed to rely on a handful of rookies to support their bullpen as the regular season’s second half began, but Montgomery, Quantrill and recently acquired right-handed pitcher Chase Silseth now give them additional veteran depth.
“It is exciting to have a righty out there that can get big outs, because he’s done it before and he’s shown that he can get outs later in games,” Schumaker said of Quantrill. “Cal has been huge for us this year, whether it was the bullpen, building back up to become a starter and throwing some really meaningful innings. We won one game on that [last] road trip, and it was Cal’s start against Tampa. He’s done really, really well, it’s just part of where we’re at right now.”