Mariners add reliever Rafael Montero in trade with Rangers
The Mariners added another bullpen piece Tuesday, acquiring right-hander Rafael Montero in a trade with the Rangers.
Seattle will send 17-year-old pitching prospect Jose Corniell and a player to be named later to Texas in return.
“Rafael is a solid addition to our ongoing efforts to fortify the bullpen,” Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said in a release. “We see his outstanding stuff and quality performance since converting to a full-time reliever as impactful in our bullpen.”
Montero, 30, opened the shortened 2020 season on the injured list with tendinitis in his pitching elbow, but took on Texas’ closing role after he was activated Aug. 7. He converted all eight of his save opportunities and finished 0-1 with a 4.08 ERA in 17 relief appearances.
In 2019, he finished 2-0 with a 2.48 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 22 relief appearances after returning from a season-long stint on the IL that July. Montero underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2018 after tearing his right ulnar collateral ligament in Mets spring training. Texas signed him to a minor league contract ahead of the 2019 season.
Montero has pitched parts of six seasons for the Mets and Rangers with a career 8-17 record and 4.93 ERA across 239 innings pitched. He’s struck out 242 batters in 97 games, including 30 starts.
He signed with the Mets as an international free agent in 2011 and debuted for New York three years later as a 23-year-old.
Seattle’s 40-man roster is now full at 40 players.
The Mariners will send Corniell, who was considered the organization’s No. 20 prospect by Baseball America and No. 24 prospect by MLB Pipeline, to Texas.
The young right-hander signed with the Mariners as an international free agent in July 2019 and was scheduled to play in the Dominican Summer League this year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. He did not appear in a professional game while in Seattle’s system.
This story was originally published December 15, 2020 at 1:54 PM.
