In a season where the Atlanta Braves seemingly started underprepared, especially in the bullpen, the front office has once again turned to an early season transaction to try and sure up the bullpen. This time, the club struck a deal with the Astros for Rafael Montero.
Montero, who is in the final year of a three-year, $34.5 million deal, has an ERA of nearly 5.00 since inking the deal.
The Braves will also get cash, while the Astros will get a player-to-be-named later.
The #Braves tonight acquired RHP Rafael Montero and cash considerations from the Houston Astros in exchange for a player to be named later.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 9, 2025
Atlanta Braves add another reliever who they hope rights the ship
The Braves bullpen has not looked great to start the 2025 season. The team is 21st in ERA thanks largely to a HR/9 that is third-worst in baseball. The team has already DFA'd Hector Neris and Jesse Chavez in first 10 games of the season and are clearly still looking for answers to sure up the middle innings.
Apparently, Rafael Montero is a reliever they believe can help. While Montero was dominant for the Astros in 2022, where he had a 2.37 ERA in 68.1 innings, accumulating 1.5 fWAR, after signing a three-year deal with Houston, he has been one of the worst relievers in baseball, with the second-worst fWAR among relievers with at least 100 innings since 2023.
He's been so bad with the Astros this is deal that Houston fans are no doubt celebrating.
While the cash headed to Atlanta hasn't been reported yet (though Jon Heyman reported it was the majority of Montero's , this trade is a bit of a head scratcher. Montero's strikeout rate took a nosedive last season to just 14% in 38.1 innings while he also struggled with free passes and homers.
This season in a four inning sample, he has continued to struggle with free passes, but his strikeouts have rebounded to a 31.3% rate (again, a very short sample size). Montero should not expect to be given high-leverage innings and is likely better than Zach Thompson, but overall, it would not be surprising if Alex Anthopoulos is simply taking a flyer on a reliever he acquired for cheap.
If Montero can't cut it, he'll be another Braves reliever on the revolving wheel.