New year, new rumors to keep the MLB hot stove at least warm while the baseball world awaits some of free agency's bigger names to find their homes for the 2024 season. The latest involves the Philadelphia Phillies and Jordan Montgomery.

Namely, that the Phils are still a possibility to land Montgomery, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Of course, the Phillies are competing with a half-dozen or so teams for Montgomery's services. There is heavy speculation that Montgomery is heading back to his previous employer, and defending World Series champions, the Texas Rangers.

As Heyman notes, with a resolution to the Rangers' TV rights nears, the team is likely to circle back with Montgomery in the hopes of luring him back for another go-round in Arlington.

The New York Yankees are also known to covet their former prospect as they work to strengthen a rotation that features plenty of question marks aside from 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole.

Phillies eye Montgomery, Snell still in mix

But Montgomery is not the only highly valued left-handed starting pitcher still on the free agent market. 2023 NL Cy Young Award winner, Blake Snell, is still without a deal, and Philadelphia is known to have interest in Snell as well.

After falling short in the last two seasons, the Phillies seem prepared to go all-in with this core of players. Adding a starter such as Montgomery or Snell to a rotation that features Zack Wheeler and already locked up Aaron Nola on a long-term deal this offseason would give the Phillies MLB's deepest rotation.

The coming weeks should be fascinating as these free agents narrow their choices as spring training rapidly approaches.