1 reason could explain why Jordan Montgomery has not signed yet

Sep 2, 2022; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery (48) pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Opening Day in MLB is on Thursday, and Jordan Montgomery remains unsigned. Perhaps there is a good reason for that.

The biggest reason Montgomery has gone unsigned is because teams have not met his asking price. Even though that is the case, he still could have taken a short-term deal the way Blake Snell did last week.

So why hasn’t Montgomery accepted a short-term deal yet? Because it likely would be in his best interest to wait until after Opening Day.

One thing to keep in mind with Jordan Montgomery: It wouldn't be smart to sign a deal before Opening Day that might lead to just one year. Signing after Opening Day would eliminate a qualifying offer.

— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) March 26, 2024

If Montgomery signs after Opening Day and then chooses to become a free agent after the 2024 season, he would not cost the team that signs him next year a draft pick because he would not be eligible to receive a qualifying offer.

If a player receives a qualifying offer from their current team but declines to sign it, the new team that signs the player would lose a draft pick. The loss of a draft pick is somewhat of a deterrent for teams and can hurt a player’s free agent market. By waiting until after Opening Day to sign, Montgomery can give himself a better chance at having a more robust market next offseason.

Montgomery went 10-11 with a 3.20 ERA last season while pitching for both the Cardinals and Rangers. The southpaw posted a 2.90 ERA in 31 postseason innings and helped Texas win the World Series.