Reliever Montero will lead a group of pitchers with more velocity than Seattle has seen in recent seasons.
For the years 2016-2018, the M’s had Edwin Diaz in the ninth inning, although the team’s fastball velocity (per FanGraphs) has rated 23rd, 28th, 13th, 18th and 27th for the period from 2020 to 2016.
There are a number of possible M’s bullpen pitchers who can throw in the mid-90s, with Montero at over 96mph.
There are a lot of options from Montero, but his four-seam and sinker make up the bulk of his repertoire. Although the four-seam has a good shape, with a little bit of a rise, its key distinguishing feature is speed.
His best pitch against right-handed hitters is now this pitch, which poses a concern that we’ll discuss shortly.
Because of its lack of distinctive sinking movement, the sinker is more appropriately referred to as a two-seamer.
For the most part, it is utilized against left-handed hitters, which may assist bring out some of the pitch’s best qualities because it is otherwise a dubious offering.
Although he has a good command of the pitch, he is still able to draw swings that are less likely to result in serious injury.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much contrast between the changeup and sinker at the moment, which reduces their effectiveness.
At 89-90 mph, the changeup has a great shape, but it requires a sharper bite or a lower velo to generate more swings.
What Happened To Rafael Montero?
For Jose Corniell and an unspecified player, Montero was transferred to the Seattle Mariners on December 15, 2020. From Texas, the PTBNL Andres Mesa was dispatched on the 14th of June 2021.