![]() The byproduct of both trends is a bevy of leverage innings, which exposes the vulnerability of lesser-used relievers and struggling ones like Montero. 717 OPS and is struggling to sustain anything in Yordan Alvarez’s absence. Houston still boasts the sport’s best team ERA. ![]() Tailoring Montero’s appearances to either low-leverage or blowout games is one solution, but the Astros don’t score or allow enough runs to create many of them. “The thing about it is, when am I supposed to use him? If not, you use up everybody else.” ![]() “I’ve already reevaluated,” Baker said, according to the Houston Chronicle. Asked after Sunday’s game if he must reevaluate when and how to use Montero, Baker offered another damning indictment of the situation. Montero has to pitch, however painful it might be. Plus, if Montero is to salvage anything for the remainder of the season or turn his fortunes around, it won’t occur sitting in the bullpen. They can’t ignore his presence and risk overworking other relievers. Crane does not have a history of eating bad contracts - but also has never had one of this length and value age this poorly.Īs long as Montero remains active, the Astros must use him in some capacity. Owner Jim Crane, who ran the baseball operations department when Montero signed his contract, now must consider how much longer he can watch his investment implode. All five relievers ahead of him are closers. Montero is the sixth-highest-paid active reliever in the sport. Montero’s continued presence on the Astros’ roster is perhaps only due to the dumbfounding three-year, $34.5 million contract he received during the Astros’ winter without a general manager. No qualified reliever entered the day with a higher ERA. After his latest disaster on Sunday - a blown three-run lead against the Dodgers, forcing his team to play 11 innings before finally recording the win - Montero sports a 7.76 ERA and 1.82 WHIP. You take your shot at some point in time.”īaker’s bluntness accentuated what now must be more widely acknowledged: Montero is having the sort of season that is impossible to defend. “You have to take your shot in the sixth when you got four innings to do whatever mishaps that happen versus the seventh or the eighth. Everyone knows it,” Baker said after the game, which the Astros won 10-9. All three of them notched hits against Rafael Montero to start the sixth inning, moving the Mets within a run while prolonging Montero’s miserable season. ![]() Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Tommy Pham loomed in the sixth inning of a game Houston led by three. He sent a broken reliever into the belly of a beast and paid the price. Seven days ago, Baker broke from his preferred script. ![]()
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