The trade deadline gave Atlanta Braves fans little reason to celebrate this year. They didn't trade away players to bring in prospect talent to reinforce their future nor did they bring in any big league talent to help in the short-term. Instead, the Braves mostly stayed put much to the chagrin of pretty much everyone. However, the lone exception was the fact that they finally got rid of Rafael Montero.
After flaming out in spectacular fashion with the Astros, Atlanta decided to acquire Montero to try and get a talented bullpen arm on the cheap. Instead, they received a headache of a player whose appearances often either gave the Braves' opponents momentum or lost games all by themselves. It became obvious that Montero was going to have to go and Atlanta got the Tigers to take him close the trade deadline.
Now, Detroit and their fans are getting to experience that pain firsthand and it only took one appearance for it to get started.
Rafael Montero is the Tigers' problem now which is just music to Braves fans' ears
Montero made his first appearance with his newest team on Tuesday and, predictably, things went awry. Detroit was already down 4-1 after a rough start from new starter Chris Paddack and the Tigers were just trying to stop the bleeding.
Instead, Montero came in for the fifth inning and went ground out, walk, RBI double (after a replay review), line out, and RBI single and just like that, the game felt out of reach. If that sounds familiar to Braves fans (and Astros fans for that matter), it is because that is often how a lot of his appearances ended up going here before he got shipped out.
At this rate, it is becoming pretty obvious that Montero is going to get DFA'd soon unless he makes a radical turnaround. When he is on, Montero can miss bats and be a useful relief arm. It just doesn't happen often enough to justify trotting him out there to blow games left and right. Thankfully, the Braves aren't the ones that are being forced to deal with that pain anymore.