PHILADELPHIA — Rafael Montero has pitched essentially the most games for the very best bullpen within the postseason this 12 months, having appeared in eight for the Astros heading into Monday’s Game 3 of the World Series against the Phillies.
It’s a good distance from the injury-plagued disappointment Montero was for many of his tenure with the Mets.
Montero signed with the Mets as a world free agent from the Dominican Republic in 2011 and was ranked because the organization’s fifth-best prospect by Baseball America in 2013, despite not having signed until he was 20 — very late for a world prospect.
The best-hander made his MLB debut with the Mets on May 14, 2014 against the Yankees at Citi Field, but never found consistent success in Queens, battling injuries and ineffectiveness — while shuttling between the majors and the minors.
There have been some highlights, including one run in six innings, with 10 strikeouts, against Arizona in his third profession start and one other solid outing versus the Cubs later that season.
And in 2017, Montero pitched 8 ¹/₃ scoreless innings in Cincinnati, considered one of the high points in a season that saw Montero pitch in 34 games before Tommy John surgery kept him out of 2018.
He performed well in small doses with Texas in 2019 and 2020 before one other down season in Seattle in 2021 before he was included as an afterthought in a trade to the Astros in July ’21.
But Montero was effective before a lat injury ended his season with Houston and went on to have his most successful season within the majors, compiling a WHIP of 1.024 in 68 ¹/₃ innings over 71 games.
Now 32, he’s allowed just 4 hits and 4 walks over eight innings in the course of the playoffs.
“This offseason was type of a matter mark of what he would are available in [as] in spring training,” Houston pitching coach Josh Miller said in a Zoom call on Sunday. “We had expectations, but we didn’t really know what he would are available in as. And he got here into spring and was pretty good. And because the season went on, he just grew right into a very priceless, trusted member of the bullpen.”
Montero finished with a career-high 14 saves.
“He throws strikes,” Houston manager Dusty Baker said. “He’s still learning. He added a pair other pitches. [He’s] very calm in his demeanor. … He never gets shaken.”
Montero was acquired by the Astros as a part of a package that also brought Kendall Graveman from Seattle. Montero has been designated for project before the trade.
Graveman was effective for Houston after the trade and was excellent within the team’s run to the World Series before signing with the White Sox as a free agent.
And now Montero, together with closer Ryan Pressly, Bryan Abreu and Hector Neris have formed a bullpen that might get the Astros a title.
PHILADELPHIA — Rafael Montero has pitched essentially the most games for the very best bullpen within the postseason this 12 months, having appeared in eight for the Astros heading into Monday’s Game 3 of the World Series against the Phillies.
It’s a good distance from the injury-plagued disappointment Montero was for many of his tenure with the Mets.
Montero signed with the Mets as a world free agent from the Dominican Republic in 2011 and was ranked because the organization’s fifth-best prospect by Baseball America in 2013, despite not having signed until he was 20 — very late for a world prospect.
The best-hander made his MLB debut with the Mets on May 14, 2014 against the Yankees at Citi Field, but never found consistent success in Queens, battling injuries and ineffectiveness — while shuttling between the majors and the minors.
There have been some highlights, including one run in six innings, with 10 strikeouts, against Arizona in his third profession start and one other solid outing versus the Cubs later that season.
And in 2017, Montero pitched 8 ¹/₃ scoreless innings in Cincinnati, considered one of the high points in a season that saw Montero pitch in 34 games before Tommy John surgery kept him out of 2018.
He performed well in small doses with Texas in 2019 and 2020 before one other down season in Seattle in 2021 before he was included as an afterthought in a trade to the Astros in July ’21.
But Montero was effective before a lat injury ended his season with Houston and went on to have his most successful season within the majors, compiling a WHIP of 1.024 in 68 ¹/₃ innings over 71 games.
Now 32, he’s allowed just 4 hits and 4 walks over eight innings in the course of the playoffs.
“This offseason was type of a matter mark of what he would are available in [as] in spring training,” Houston pitching coach Josh Miller said in a Zoom call on Sunday. “We had expectations, but we didn’t really know what he would are available in as. And he got here into spring and was pretty good. And because the season went on, he just grew right into a very priceless, trusted member of the bullpen.”
Montero finished with a career-high 14 saves.
“He throws strikes,” Houston manager Dusty Baker said. “He’s still learning. He added a pair other pitches. [He’s] very calm in his demeanor. … He never gets shaken.”
Montero was acquired by the Astros as a part of a package that also brought Kendall Graveman from Seattle. Montero has been designated for project before the trade.
Graveman was effective for Houston after the trade and was excellent within the team’s run to the World Series before signing with the White Sox as a free agent.
And now Montero, together with closer Ryan Pressly, Bryan Abreu and Hector Neris have formed a bullpen that might get the Astros a title.
