3 Reasons Why the Rangers Had a Better Trade Deadline Than the Astros
By Tyler Maher
2. Texas Added Another Starter, Too
While both teams landed an ace at the deadline, the Rangers went the extra mile by also bringing in Jordan Montgomery, giving them even more rotation depth and an insurance policy in case Scherzer gets hurt. The Astros settled for Verlander, which is risky given his age and injury history.
Montgomery isn't a No. 1 or No. 2, but he's an ideal mid-rotation starter. He's logged 121 innings over 21 starts this year, going 6-9 with a 3.42 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP for a disappointing Cardinals team. With elite run support in Texas, he has a great chance to finish with double-digit wins for the first time.
Montgomery isn't flashy and doesn't strike a ton of guys out, but you can count on him for six quality innings every five days. That kind of stability may be boring, but it makes the manager's job easier and takes a lot of pressure off the bullpen.
He's also a lefty, which the Rangers really needed. Martin Perez (4.98 ERA) and Andrew Heaney (4.36 ERA) have been underwhelming this year, so Montgomery's presence enables one of them (likely Perez) to move to the bullpen.
So while both Houston and Texas improved their rotations at the deadline, the Rangers' improvement was greater.