Texas Rangers left-hander Jordan Montgomery is officially on the comeback trail. After signing a one-year contract in February to return to Texas, the 33-year-old veteran spent the first few months of the 2026 season on the 60-day injured list. He is working his way back from a second career Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for the entire 2025 season.
Because Montgomery hasn’t pitched in a Major League game since 2024, the Rangers are handling his rehab program with an abundance of caution. According to the team's early progression plan, Montgomery will start with short, controlled outings before gradually climbing toward a standard starter's workload (approximately 75 pitches).
Below is the log of each rehab appearance as he works toward joining the Rangers' rotation.
Jordan Montgomery's Rehab Appearance Log
Outing 1: The Return to the Mound
June 21, 2026
Team: Frisco RoughRiders (Double-A)
Opponent: Arkansas Travelers (Mariners)
Line: 1.0 IP // 1 H // 0 R // 0 BB // 1 SO
Pitches/Strikes: 13 pitches // 10 strikes
Notes: First competitive game action since 2024. Montgomery looked incredibly efficient, pounding the zone and inducing a swinging strikeout to cap off a scoreless frame.
June 27: Double-A Frisco (Appearance No. 2)
Opponent: Amarillo Sod Poodles
Line: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO
Pitch Count: 20 pitches (15 strikes, 6 whiffs)
Montgomery was once again dominant and efficient in his second rehab start for the RoughRiders. This time it was on the road in Amarillo at HODGETOWN. The veteran left-hander completely stymied the Amarillo lineup, requiring just 20 pitches (15 strikes) to get through two innings.
Outing 3: Moving Up to Triple-A
Date: July 2, 2026
Team: Round Rock Express (Triple-A)
Opponent: Albuquerque Isotopes (Rockies)
Line: 2.0 IP // 3 H // 2 R // 0 BB // 3 SO
Pitches/Strikes: 39 pitches // 26 strikes (5 whiffs)
Notes: Montgomery officially moved his rehab assignment to the Triple-A level to face a more advanced Pacific Coast League lineup at Dell Diamond. He encountered some traffic in his opening frame, giving up two runs on three hits (26 pitches/18 strikes) while touching a top velocity of 90.8 MPH. The two runs in the first inning came off a triple that center fielder Gilberto Celestino tried to make a play on but the ball bounced off the ball and away from Celestino.
Monty bounced back with a flawless, 1-2-3 second inning to retire the side in order. He had 5 total whiffs and bumping his top velocity up to 91.0 MPH before handing things over to the bullpen.
Jordan Montgomery — Rehab Start #4 Tracker
Date: Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Team: Round Rock Express (Triple-A)
Opponent: Reno Aces
Venue: Greater Nevada Field (Reno, NV)
Line: 3.0 IP // 0 ER // 5 H // 0 BB // 3 SO // 6 whiffs
Pitches/Strikes: 40 pitches (26 strikes)
Fastball Velocity: 90.5 mph (avg) Top Velocity: 91.5 mph
Tracker Notes:
The veteran left-hander continues to work his way back. Montgomery efficiently carved through 3.0 scoreless frames on just 40 pitches without issuing a single walk, generating 6 whiffs. Through four rehab appearances between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock, he has pitched 8.0 innings and has a 2.25 ERA with 10 strikeouts and no walks.
Outing 5: Increasing the Workload in Reno
Date: July 12, 2026
Team: Round Rock Express (Triple-A)
Opponent: Reno Aces (Diamondbacks)
Location: Greater Nevada Field (Reno, NV)
Line: 4.0 IP // 4 H // 1 R // 0 BB // 1 SO
Pitches/Strikes: 52 pitches // 35 strikes (4 whiffs)
Notes: Montgomery hit another milestone in his recovery from primary UCL repair surgery, taking the mound on the road in Reno. Working with a strict up-ladder in pitch count, the veteran southpaw pushed his workload up to 52 pitches over four efficient frames of one-run ball. The command remained sharp with zero free passes issued, and his velocity showed encouraging growth, topping out at a rehab-high 92.3 MPH as he inches closer to a late July early August return to the big league rotation.
The Rangers' staff has laid out a strict, conservative path for his next few turns in the minor leagues to safely build arm strength:
- July Targets: Graduation to building up workload via pitch count, typically laddering up by roughly 15 pitches per appearance.
- Expected Return Window: Late July or early August.
This tracker will be updated with full statistics, pitch counts, and developmental notes immediately following each of Jordan Montgomery's rehab appearances.
