Jordan Montgomery didn't want to play for Red Sox "because he wants to win," report says

BOSTON -- The final gut punch for Red Sox fans to put an exclamation point on a disappointing offseason of inactivity came on Wednesday, when free-agent right-hander Jordan Montgomery signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

A one-year, $25 million deal with a vesting option for 2025 worth between $20 million and $25 million was a contract that easily could have been afford by John Henry and Red Sox ownership, but the team had a clear initiative to not spend on such contracts over the winter and through the spring.

According to one report, though, even if the Red Sox wanted to sign Montgomery, the feeling was not mutual.

"Word is, Montgomery didn't love the Red Sox because he wants to win," the New York Post's Jon Heyman reported.

That story goes against a popular belief this offseason, as Montgomery's wife is working at a Boston-area hospital, thus making the Red Sox a seemingly ideal fit for the 31-year-old, who's coming off a World Series win and likely expected a longer-term, big-money contract in free agency.

"Monty wasn't as enamored of the idea of playing for the Red Sox as the narrative went," Heyman tweeted.

Instead of joining the Red Sox or getting his big deal somewhere else, Montgomery landed a short-term contract with the Diamondbacks. Arizona is coming off an 84-win season that led to a Wild Card berth before advancing all the way to the World Series ... where they lost to Montgomery and the Rangers in five games.

The Red Sox did win their first game of the season on Thursday night in Seattle, but it came after an offseason that left many Boston baseball fans frustrated and disappointed. Based on this report, it seems Montgomery took notice of that organizational philosophy and wanted to head elsewhere.