AL WILD CARD SERIES: RANGERS VS RAYS

October 3, 2023

Jordan Montgomery

Tropicana Field

Texas Rangers

Postgame Press Conference

Texas 4, Tampa Bay 0.

Q. Do you want to start with your pitching or talk about your fielding? What do you want to talk about first?

JORDAN MONTGOMERY: Y'all are the ones asking the questions.

Q. Let's start with the pitching. What did you feel like you had working today?

JORDAN MONTGOMERY: Really kind of a steady mix of everything. Jonah did an incredible job of kind of flashing -- flashing fastballs in enough. The first couple innings they came out swinging at good fastballs down and away, and they were just working up the middle. So we kind of had to change our approach and do a little more work glove side. But Jonah did great behind, defense did great, and was a good team win.

Q. Was today's pitch mix any different do you feel like than what you've been doing over the past five games?

JORDAN MONTGOMERY: Probably not. Probably steady, similar usage, curveball, changeup, and then glove side, two-seamers and four-seamers.

Q. What happened on the pop-up? What was your view of that?

JORDAN MONTGOMERY: Oh, gosh. I knew Nate was playing back, so it was my ball. I saw it high enough in the air, kind of made two quick steps at it, and then kind of just blacked out and went for it.

Q. Are you hoping for a Gold Glove now?

JORDAN MONTGOMERY: I probably need a couple more of those to do that, but it's nice to know that I can do it.

Q. You've had more innings today in the postseason than you did all of your other previous outings. Were you feeling the energy? Did the postseason drive you any more? How were you feeling on the mound?

JORDAN MONTGOMERY: Definitely getting the nod to be the Game 1 starter made me want to definitely throw a good game for the team. I know when I threw for the Yankees, I was on like 15 days not throwing out there, so it was nice staying on my five-day routine this time. Just treating it like a normal game and trying to win.

Q. Unlike the other guys, your team made plays, they made defense. Talk about how much of a lift that gave you as you saw your team backing you up like they did?

JORDAN MONTGOMERY: They're incredible. Made a lot of good plays, hard plays, and made it look easy. Jungle Cat at third, that ball kind of floating and he got it, pulled it out of the air. Just up and down the lineup, everybody out there played great.

Q. You said yesterday you love the mound here. What about it do you love, and how comfortable were you going out there today just taking on this team?

JORDAN MONTGOMERY: Some mounds are just like a weird substance. I like how it's mostly clay, so it doesn't stick to your cleats as much, and it just feels like you're right on top of home plate. I don't know how to explain it. I don't know if it's I've pitched here so much that I'm comfortable out there or if the mound is actually different than other mounds. I'm not sure.

Q. Were you comfortable going out there today?

JORDAN MONTGOMERY: Yes.

Q. Extremely?

JORDAN MONTGOMERY: I wouldn't say extremely. They're a good team. But pretty confident with where I'm at right now.

Q. The trainer came out to check on you after the dive. Did it hurt?

JORDAN MONTGOMERY: I think I was just as shocked as everybody in the stands. Just kind of the -- I had to backhand it, so the way I landed on my shoulder and my hips, it just was something I've never done before. I don't know if I've done that since I was 12. Just kind of a heat-of-the-moment competitive thing, saw the ball and went and got it.

Q. You also looked pretty fired up after striking out Caminero. What was it like coming off the mound knowing you had gone seven and given your team a good shot to win?

JORDAN MONTGOMERY: It was huge. I really wanted to get out of that inning, not walk him there. And I figured he was probably my last hitter, so I didn't want to put whoever was in the bullpen in a sticky situation. I wanted to kind of close the door right there.

Q. Following up on that, you said you didn't really get these opportunities with the Yankees. So going seven innings shutout in a postseason game, maybe this isn't the best, but is it the most rewarding start of your career?

JORDAN MONTGOMERY: Definitely. Put us in a chance to win Game 1 of the Wild Card. Pico and Chappy did great coming in after me, and it's good to do your job and help the team win.

Q. Just to go back to the pop-up for one second, Nate seemed to have some kind of reaction after you made the catch, and I'm sure Bochy said something to you when he finally got out to the mound. Anything funny that either of those guys said or did?

JORDAN MONTGOMERY: No, I think they just wanted to give me a breather and let me clean off. I'm dirty, my hands were cut up a little bit, and just had dirt everywhere. It was nice to get out of that jersey and get a fresh one on after that inning.