The Boston Red Sox still are discussing a possible move with one of the top free agents available.

Boston’s biggest weakness currently is the starting rotation and the easiest way to help solve the problem would be signing former New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, and Texas Rangers pitcher Jordan Montgomery.

Montgomery somehow still is available and has been linked to the Red Sox all offseason. Although this is the case, Boston doesn’t seem to want to spend what it would cost to land him.

While this is the case, Boston is speaking to Montgomery about a possible deal, according to the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

There are ways of responding,” Speier said. “Starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery, of course, remains a free agent. The Red Sox, according to multiple sources, have remained in touch with agent Scott Boras about the southpaw.

That said, Bello’s deal offers some connecting dots to understanding that the Sox aren’t counting on an addition of Montgomery. In several instances, when the Sox have signed players who were already under team control to long-term deals, they’ve had the extension take effect not in the season when it was signed, but instead for the following one. That approach allowed the club to have the flexibility to stay below the luxury tax threshold or minimize the extent to which it went over the line in the year of the extension’s signing.

Montgomery almost makes too much sense for the Red Sox. He would provide stability to the Red Sox’s starting rotation. This is even more important now with Lucas Giolito set to miss possibly the entire 2024 season.

Boston needs more help in the rotation and Montgomery still is out there.