The Arizona Diamondbacks and pitcher Jordan Montgomery have agreed on a $25 million, one-year contract with a vesting option for 2025, according to a person familiar with the deal.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the agreement was subject to a successful physical. The option for next year can become guaranteed to Montgomery if he makes at least 10 starts this season.

The addition bulks up the defending NL champions’ rotation just days before the regular season begins. Montgomery should slide into the No. 3 or No. 4 spot once he’s ready for game action, joining Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez, who signed an $80 million, four-year contract with the Diamondbacks earlier in the offseason.

ESPN first reported that Montgomery and the D-backs had agreed to a deal.

Montgomery, who turned 31 in December, went into free agency for the first time as a World Series champion. The 6-foot-6 left-hander played a significant role in Texas’ first title after being traded at the deadline for the second year in a row.

While the Rangers surely would have liked to bring back Montgomery, they weren’t in position to pay the increased cost to re-sign him. He made $10 million last season.

Texas had a final payroll of $242.1 million for its championship season, and paid a luxury tax penalty for the first time, though it owed only $1.8 million in tax.

Montgomery is 38-34 with a 3.68 ERA in 141 career games games (140 starts) with the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals and Rangers.

Texas got him and reliever Chris Stratton last year from St. Louis, which had acquired Montgomery from the Yankees in a 2022 trade for Gold Glove center fielder Harrison Bader.

After going 4-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 11 starts for the Rangers down the stretch, Montgomery was 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA in six postseason games. He won their playoff opener with seven scoreless innings at Tampa Bay in the Wild Card Series, and allowed only two runs over 14 innings while pitching three times against the Houston Astros in the AL Championship Series.

Montgomery threw 6 1/3 scoreless innings in Game 1 against the Astros and wasn’t part of the decision in Game 5 after giving up two runs in 5 1/3 innings. He won the Game 7 clincher with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief in Houston.

Five days later in Game 2 of the World Series against Arizona, he walked only one batter while throwing 50 of 75 pitches for strikes and pitching into the seventh inning, but became the first pitcher to complete six innings in a World Series game without a strikeout since Atlanta’s Greg Maddux in Game 2 against the Yankees in 1996. Montgomery allowed four runs in that 9-1 loss to the Diamondbacks.

Montgomery was 10-11 overall with a 3.20 ERA in 32 regular-season starts last year. He had 166 strikeouts and 48 walks in 188 2/3 innings, then threw another 31 innings in the postseason.

New York selected Montgomery in the fourth round of the 2014 amateur draft out of South Carolina. He made his big league debut in 2017 and went 22-20 with a 3.94 ERA in 98 games (97 starts) with the Yankees over six seasons before his first trade to the Cardinals. He was sidelined from May 2018 until September 2019 by an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery.

Toronto Blue Jays relievers Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson are expected to begin the season on the injured list in a significant blow to the back end of the team’s bullpen.

Romano, an All-Star closer, has been dealing with right elbow inflammation. Swanson, a top setup man, was slowed by right forearm inflammation.

With Opening Day coming up Thursday at Tampa Bay, Manager John Schneider told reporters in Florida it’s “reasonable to say” that Romano and Swanson probably will start on the IL.

Toronto did get an encouraging performance from No. 1 starter Kevin Gausman, who pitched three strong innings Monday against Pittsburgh in his Grapefruit League debut.

The right-hander, who had been sidelined by shoulder fatigue, struck out seven and walked none in the Blue Jays’ spring training finale. He allowed one run and three hits.

It’s possible that Gausman, a two-time All-Star who finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting last year and led the league with 237 strikeouts, could begin the season in the rotation rather than on the IL.

YANKEES: Outfielder Oscar González sustained a right orbital fracture and was being kept overnight in a Mexico City hospital after fouling a ball off his face Monday during an exhibition game against the Diablos Rojos.

González got jammed on an inside pitch and the ball ricocheted off the handle of his bat directly up into his face, knocking off his helmet. He was sitting upright as he was driven off the field in a cart.

The Yankees said González was treated at the ballpark for a right eye contusion by team physician Dr. Carlos Smith and Dr. Elisa Saleme, the head physician assigned to the two-game series. Smith accompanied González to Centro Medico ABC in Mexico City for further evaluation and testing, the club said.

After the game, the Yankees said González had a right orbital fracture and would remain in the hospital overnight before undergoing tests Tuesday. Double-A trainer Brandon Rodriguez was staying with González.

ORIOLES: Infielder/outfielder Tony Kemp agreed to a $1 million, one-year contract with Baltimore, one week after the 32-year-old was released from a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds.

ROCKIES: Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and Colorado finalized a $63.5 million, seven-year contract, a deal that includes a team option for 2031 that if exercised would boost the agreement to $84 million over eight seasons.

The 22-year-old gets a $1.5 million signing bonus and salaries of $1.5 million this season, $4 million in 2025, $5 million in 2026, $8 million in 2027, $11 million in 2028, $14 million in 2029 and $16 million in 2030. The Rockies’ option is for $23 million with a $2.5 million buyout.

DIAMONDBACKS: Mother Nature halted a baseball game, even in a retractable-roof stadium in the middle of the desert.

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ preseason game against the Cleveland Guardians was called after six innings Monday night when an unexpected rainstorm hit Chase Field.

Because of ongoing mechanical issues, the retractable roof at Chase Field can’t be opened or closed with fans in attendance. The weather in Phoenix was mostly pleasant on Monday, which led to the roof being open, but the unexpected storm sent fans scrambling.

METS: Right-hander Phil Bickford was released by New York after clearing waivers, the second major league player cut loose this month after winning in salary arbitration.

The 28-year-old reliever will receive $217,742 in termination pay rather than the $900,000 salary chosen by a three-person panel over the Mets’ $815,000 offer.

Under baseball’s collective bargaining agreement, salaries determined in arbitration are not guaranteed. A player with a nonguaranteed contract receives 45 days’ termination pay if released within 15 days of Opening Day and 30 days’ pay if released earlier in spring training.

Third baseman J.D. Davis was released by San Francisco on March 11 after winning $6.9 million in arbitration and got $1,112,903 in termination pay from the Giants. He agreed five days later to a $2.5 million, one-year contract with Oakland that allows him to earn $1 million more in performance bonuses.

CARDINALS: Center fielder Dylan Carlson will begin the season on the injured list with a sprained left shoulder, President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak said.

Carlson was injured in a collision Monday with right fielder Jordan Walker. Prospect Victor Scott will be the Opening-Day starter in center field.

DODGERS-ATHLETICS TRADE: Left-hander T.J. McFarland was acquired by the Oakland Athletics from the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash and was added to the 40-man roster.

The 34-year-old agreed to a minor league contract with the Dodgers on Jan. 26 and had a 1.35 ERA in seven spring training games.

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