The Yankees' bullpen has been a question mark for what feels like a full season and a half now - ever since Clay Holmes’ dominance started to wane, fans have been clamoring for reinforcements. And while the front office has added arms here and there, the group as a whole hasn’t quite gelled into the consistent, late-inning force the Yankees need to contend deep into October.
Now, as spring training looms, New York is once again rolling the dice - this time on veteran reliever Rafael Montero. The right-hander signed a minor-league deal with the club, and if he makes the big-league roster, he’ll earn $1.8 million. Given the current state of the bullpen, there’s a very real path for him to break camp with the team.
Montero's recent track record is a mixed bag. Since 2023, he’s struggled to find his footing - aside from a 20-game stretch with the Tigers last season where he looked like a different pitcher.
That said, the Yankees are clearly betting on upside. This is a pitcher who once parlayed a dominant 2022 campaign with the Astros into a lucrative contract.
But outside of that peak season and a solid 2019 with the Rangers, Montero’s career numbers tell a different story: a 4.68 ERA, 4.27 FIP, and 1.45 WHIP across 380 games since debuting in 2014. His career WAR sits at -0.3.
Last season alone, Montero bounced between the Astros, Braves, and Tigers. His time with Houston and Atlanta was rough - an ERA north of 5.00 over 38 1/3 innings - but something clicked after he landed in Detroit at the trade deadline.
Over his final 22 innings with the Tigers, Montero posted a 2.86 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Hits were down, and he looked more in control on the mound.
That turnaround may have had something to do with Tigers pitching coach Chris Fetter, who appeared to help Montero tap into something more effective. Still, the walk rate remained a glaring issue - Montero ranked in the bottom 1% of the league in that department.
But here’s where it gets interesting: despite the control problems, his Baseball Savant page shows a lot of red. That means he was still generating weak contact, missing bats, and doing a lot of things right under the hood.
The Yankees are hoping that’s something Matt Blake and his staff can build on. Montero’s fastball still sits around 95 mph, and his slider has taken a step forward over the past two seasons.
Now, he’s working in a split-finger that could serve as a real weapon if he can command it. That pitch mix - velocity, movement, and deception - gives the Yankees something to work with, especially if they can tighten up his command.
This isn’t the high-profile bullpen addition fans were dreaming about. And yes, the Yankees have leaned on too many reclamation projects in recent years, sometimes asking too much of them in high-leverage moments. But Montero’s recent flashes of effectiveness - especially that stint in Detroit - suggest there’s still something left in the tank.
If he can put it all together in pinstripes, it’s not just a win for the Yankees’ bullpen depth. It’s also a little poetic, considering how things ended for him in Houston. A bounce-back season in the Bronx would be a tidy bit of revenge - and a savvy move by a front office that’s banking on upside once again.