The Astros have announced a trade sending reliever Rafael Montero and an undisclosed amount of cash to the Braves in exchange for a player to be named later. To fill Montero’s spot in the bullpen, Houston has recalled left-handed reliever Bennett Sousa.
The Braves have not yet announced any corresponding moves but had an opening on their 40-man roster after waiving Chadwick Tromp, meaning they don’t need to make an active roster move until Montero joins the team.
Montero, 34, is in the final season of a three-year, $34.5 million free agent contract signed in 2022. He’s currently earning $11.5 million, and while Houston is likely covering most of his salary, the exact amount of cash involved in the trade hasn’t been disclosed. The deal was part of an early offseason push by owner Jim Crane after the dismissal of former GM James Click, though Montero’s performance didn’t meet expectations.
He struggled to a 5.08 ERA over 67 1/3 innings in his first season and posted a 4.70 ERA last year, walking nearly as many batters as he struck out. The Astros designated him for assignment around last year’s trade deadline, seemingly signaling the end of his tenure with the team.
Instead of electing free agency, Montero accepted a Triple-A assignment after clearing waivers. He finished the season there with a 4.42 ERA over 16 1/3 innings and was invited back to Spring Training as a non-roster player. Montero pitched well enough to earn a spot back on the MLB roster, posting a 6.23 ERA with 10 strikeouts and seven walks in 8 2/3 innings. He’s made three regular season appearances, allowing two earned runs in four innings while striking out five.
Montero’s fastball sits at 95-96 MPH, and he’s adjusted his pitch mix this season, adding a mid-80s splitter while dropping his low-90s changeup. The splitter has already shown some effectiveness, with opponents missing on five of 12 swings against it. Atlanta is interested in using Montero in middle relief, potentially displacing someone from their bullpen, with Zach Thompson being the most likely candidate.
For the Astros, this trade is primarily a salary dump, allowing them to shed some of Montero’s contract and free up space for potential acquisitions ahead of the trade deadline. They’re close to the $241 million luxury tax threshold, and offloading even a portion of Montero’s salary will help reduce their tax bill.
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