9 Rangers Who Won't Return for a Repeat World Series Run in 2024

4. Jordan Montgomery

The Rangers were active ahead of this year's trade deadline, which included acquiring Jordan Montgomery (and Chris Stratton) in a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Montgomery made an immediate impact upon joining Texas. The former Gamecock went 4-2 with a 2.79 ERA in six regular-season starts before going 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA in seven postseason appearances, playing a key role in the Rangers making the World Series.

I'm sure a good chunk of the fanbase would love for Montgomery to return, but don't hold your breath. After all, his tremendous Texas tenure has resulted in a $18.4 million market value, according to Spotrac.

Even with how well Montgomery has played, that's a lot of money to commit to one player after only a little more than four months with the organization. That's the type of money that a club desperate for pitching would likely pay and I wouldn't want the Rangers to commit that mistake.

And with how few top-level pitchers will be on the open market, it's entirely possible that Montgomery could wind up with an even bigger average annual value. If that's the case, the Rangers are better off looking for cheaper replacement options.