Could the Texas Rangers land Jordan Montgomery as their first big signing?

The Texas Rangers are in an unusual position, where for the first time in their history they are coming into the season as the reigning champ. Like it or not, they are the team to beat.

And with the flurry of activity around MLB, you might expect the Rangers to be in the thick of the action. After all, it was a massive set of trades just two years ago that set all of this into motion. A half-billion dollar middle infield finally began to bear fruit when the Rangers made perhaps the biggest signing of all in bringing in manager Bruce Bochy last season.

Yet, to date the Rangers have made no signings of note. Their money is still in their pocket and a handful of free agents have already flown the coop.

To be fair to the Rangers front office, they are one of the more fundamentally sound teams in the league. Most of their championship roster remains intact.

But one major cog to that playoff run was Jordan Montgomery. He stepped up in a big way and became the key to that Rangers rotation, taking over from deGrom, Scherzer, and Eovaldi - all of whom were either injured or recovering in October. Monty took up the slack and led from the front.

As a free agent, there is nobody who fits Texas better, no pitcher who can be trusted more, and yet there has been almost complete radio silence on the issue from the front office.

The feeling around the baseball media world has been that his salary expectations, coupled with the collapse of Diamond Sports Group, has made the Rangers shy away from doing the deal.

But there are indications that change may be just around the corner.

The bankruptcy hearing for DSG has been postponed until January 19, fuelling speculation that this could signal that a mutual settlement could be just around the corner. The Rangers are owed $111 million by Bally Sports Southwest, a subsidiary of DSG.

Additionally, Texas GM Chris Young has insisted that the team’s financial health was not impacted by the Bally deal, and word around the campfire is that Texas is Monty’s “first choice.”

The Yankees are rueing the day they traded him - ironically because he was not seen as being able to make their postseason roster. They would love to take a Mulligan on that one.

Monty’s reported $175 million price tag seems to have seen the Cubs pivot toward signing Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga, although nothing is in stone yet.

But if reports are to be believed, then the Rangers are in pole position to keep Montgomery in their rotation, and the next week could see an offer on the table.

And just in case the deal needed sweetening, a local Arlington BBQ joint has offered Jordan Montgomery “free BBQ for life” if he signs with the Rangers.

Now, how can you say no to that?