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Left-hander Jordan Montgomery and the Arizona Diamondbacks are in agreement on a one-year, $25 million contract that includes a vesting player option for a second season, sources told ESPN on Tuesday night, bolstering the National League champions’ rotation with the postseason standout from the team that beat them in the World Series.

The deal, which is pending a physical, ends Montgomery’s free agency two days before Opening Day and could include a second-year player option at $20 million if Montgomery makes 10 starts. The option would be for $22.5 million if Montgomery reaches 18 starts and $25 million at 23 starts, sources said.

After entering the winter with hopes of a nine-figure deal, the 31-year-old Montgomery signed for a fraction of that, a coup for a Diamondbacks team whose big offseason acquisition, Eduardo Rodriguez, hit the injured list this week with a lat strain. Montgomery will join a rotation that includes top starters Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, along with 25-year-old Brandon Pfaadt.

Montgomery’s market figured to be robust after a tremendous season in which he posted a career-best 3.20 ERA over 188⅔ innings, the final 67⅔ of which came with the Texas Rangers following a deadline trade from St. Louis. He continued his excellence in the postseason, tossing seven shutout innings in the wild-card round against Tampa Bay and chasing that with 14 brilliant innings in the American League Championship Series.

Instead, Montgomery’s fortunes mirrored those of three other top-end clients of his agent, Scott Boras. Outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger, who sought in excess of $150 million, signed with the Chicago Cubs for $80 million over three years. National League Cy Young winner Blake Snell received a two-year, $62 million deal from San Francisco after targeting $150 million-plus. He joined third baseman Matt Chapman, who wanted nine figures but got three years and $54 million, in San Francisco.

Like all three of them, who received opt-outs after the first year of their deals, Montgomery will control whether he hits free agency in a loaded class of 2024-25. The disappointment of the guarantee is buttressed by joining a Diamondbacks team that heads into 2024 in far better shape than last year as it prepares to take on the much-improved Los Angeles Dodgers and Giants, plus the San Diego Padres.

Montgomery is the latest acquisition in a busy winter for Arizona, whose payroll will balloon to a franchise-record $168 million. In addition to Montgomery and Rodriguez, the Diamondbacks re-signed left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and outfielders Joc Pederson and Randal Grichuk. They also traded for third baseman Eugenio Suarez.

The best player of them all is Montgomery, who is joining his fourth team since the New York Yankees — with whom he spent the first six seasons of his career — dealt him to St. Louis at the 2022 deadline. A reliable innings-eater who has topped 30 starts in three consecutive seasons, Montgomery has a career 38-34 record with a 3.68 ERA and 705 strikeouts in 755 innings after New York chose him out of the University of South Carolina in the fourth round of the 2014 draft.

Featuring a sinking fastball and a hard curve nicknamed the Death Ball, Montgomery carved through the Houston Astros in the ALCS before allowing four runs in six innings in a Game 2 loss to the Diamondbacks. It was the only game the Rangers dropped en route to their first World Series win, and there was mutual interest in a return.

But Texas’ uncertainty over its local television rights tightened the Rangers’ purse strings, forcing Montgomery to explore other options. Discussions with the Boston Red Sox never advanced past the early stages, nor did talks with the Yankees. The Giants at one point were a suitor but dropped out after signing Snell. Only recently did the Diamondbacks emerge as a possible landing spot.

It’s an ideal landing spot for Montgomery, whose data-driven approach aligns with that of Diamondbacks pitching coach Brent Strom and pitching strategist Dan Haren. And if he can help Arizona in October the same way he did the Rangers last season, the Diamondbacks could once again surprise an NL in which the Dodgers and Atlanta Braves are favorites to win the pennant.

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NHLPA appeals Hartman’s 10-game suspension

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NHLPA appeals Hartman's 10-game suspension

NEW YORK — The NHL Players’ Association said Wednesday it has filed an appeal on Ryan Hartman‘s behalf after the Minnesota Wild forward was suspended for 10 games for roughing.

Hartman had 48 hours from the league’s ruling Monday night to decide whether to appeal the ban for slamming an opponent’s head to the ice with his right forearm, the longest for on-ice conduct in more than six years.

The initial appeal goes to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who has regularly sided with the Department of Player Safety and disciplinary decisions made by its vice president, George Parros. If Bettman upholds the suspension, Hartman has the right to appeal to a neutral arbitrator.

Hartman is forfeiting $487,805 in salary as part of his fifth career suspension and fourth since 2023. He would get more than $48,000 back for each game it is reduced by, if at all.

Washington‘s Tom Wilson recouped six games worth of salary when his 2018 suspension was reduced from 20 to 14 on appeal to an arbitrator jointly appointed by the league and union, even though he had already served 16.

Hartman, 30, was initially ejected with a match penalty for roughing Ottawa‘s Tim Stutzle late in the second period of the teams’ game Saturday night.

“Hartman contends that he is attempting to use his hand to regain his balance, using Stutzle for support and that their fall to the ice is accidental. We disagree,” Player Safety said in a video announcing the suspension. “With Stutzle bent low and focused on winning the draw, Hartman chooses to take advantage of a vulnerable player in an unacceptable fashion. Hartman intentionally uses his forearm and body weight to drive Stutzle’s head directly into the ice from a height, which makes this play inherently dangerous and unacceptable.”

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Crosby being evaluated for upper-body injury

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Crosby being evaluated for upper-body injury

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is being evaluated for an upper-body injury.

Crosby did not practice Wednesday, less than 24 hours after he got caught between a pair of New Jersey Devils in the third period of what became a 3-2 shootout loss.

The Penguins superstar missed several shifts in the third period after colliding with New Jersey’s Luke Hughes and Erik Haula. Crosby skated to the bench favoring his left arm/hand but returned after being examined in the locker room.

Crosby played the final minutes of regulation and overtime. He also participated in the shootout. Asked afterward about the injury, Crosby said he simply got “tangled up” and did not get into specifics.

Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan did not speculate on whether Crosby would miss any time, saying “let’s not get ahead of ourselves” when asked whether there’s a chance the team could be forced to play without Crosby.

The Penguins play the New York Rangers on Friday and the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday before the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Crosby, 37, is slated to serve as captain for Team Canada in the tournament.

The Canadians open play against Sweden on Feb. 12 in Montreal.

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Blackhawks activate forward Smith (back) off IR

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Blackhawks activate forward Smith (back) off IR

CHICAGO — The Blackhawks activated forward Craig Smith from injured reserve before Wednesday night’s game against Edmonton.

Smith had been sidelined by a nagging back injury. He was in the lineup against the Oilers, playing on a line with Lukas Reichel and Pat Maroon.

The 35-year-old Smith has six goals and five assists in 30 games in his first season with Chicago.

The Blackhawks also assigned defenseman Artyom Levshunov and forward Colton Dach to Rockford of the American Hockey League.

The 19-year-old Levshunov was brought up on Monday to give him a chance to practice with the team during the AHL’s All-Star break. The IceHogs’ next game is Friday night at Texas.

Levshunov was the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s NHL draft. He missed the start of the season because of a fractured right foot.

“We’ve had two good, spirited practices with a lot of pace and compete and that was a good learning experience for him to see,” interim Blackhawks coach Anders Sorensen said. “Talking to him, he was kind of baffled how quick it was at times but that’s good. That’s how you realize where you need to be.”

The 22-year-old Dach made his NHL debut on Jan. 3 against Montreal. The 6-foot-4 forward, a second-round pick in the 2021 draft, had one goal and three assists in 13 games with Chicago.

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