Jordan Montgomery comes back from the injured list and pitches the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 6-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals
Jordan Montgomery returned from a month-long absence due to a knee injury and pitched five innings, allowing just one run to help the Arizona Diamondbacks defeat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 on Tuesday night.
Ketel Marte contributed with a two-run home run and scored three times in the game.
Montgomery, who signed a one-year contract with the NL champions earlier this year, hadn’t pitched since June 27 due to inflammation in his right knee. He threw 67 pitches, striking out two and walking one while giving up three hits to earn his seventh win. His last victory was on June 21 against Philadelphia.
“I felt comfortable out there and was pain-free, which was a relief,” Montgomery said. “I had to adjust my delivery a bit because of the knee issue, but I pushed through and I’m glad to be back.”
Manager Torey Lovullo noted Montgomery’s effectiveness with his changeup, a pitch that played a crucial role in his performance.
“His changeup was working well tonight, which was key,” Lovullo said. “He had confidence in it and used it effectively to get swings and misses.”
Arizona’s bullpen held strong after Montgomery’s exit, with Bryce Jarvis pitching two scoreless innings and Joe Mantiply, Ryan Thompson, and Kevin Ginkel closing out the game to halt the Royals’ four-game winning streak. Kansas City had won eight of their last ten games before facing the Diamondbacks.
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Bobby Witt Jr. had a productive night for the Royals, going 1 for 4 with an RBI double in the first inning, ending his streak of four consecutive games with three hits.
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Why the Kansas City Royals decided to part ways with veteran pitcher Jordan Lyles
The Kansas City Royals have released veteran starting pitcher Jordan Lyles. Lyles, 33, spent two seasons with the Royals. He posted a 6.11 ERA in 36 appearances after joining the organization in 2023. This season, Lyles made five relief appearances after transitioning to a bullpen role. On April 20, however, he was placed on the restricted list. The decision was approved by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association. Players on the restricted do not necessarily receive compensation. “It’s one of those things where this is still sort of like an ongoing thing,” Royals assistant general manager Scott Sharp said. “So, out of respect to Jordan and the personal nature of it, we don’t want to comment too much. We wish him well moving forward.”
Lyles reported back to the Royals in June. He spent time in Surprise, Arizona to work out and pursue a path back to the majors. The Royals curated a plan that allowed Lyles to pitch in simulated games at their spring training complex. On Saturday, the Royals had to make a decision. Per MLB rules, a player has 30 days of baseball activities after reporting back from the restricted list. A team must decide whether to add a player back to the 40-man roster, as well as the active 26-man roster.
