Braves make sale in trading Rafael Montero to Detroit
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
The Braves are officially in seller mode.
After seven consecutive seasons in which they pursued additions to aid in their postseason chase, the Braves gave up a contributing player in exchange for a minor leaguer late Thursday – a trade-deadline sale.
The player was righthanded reliever Rafael Montero, who was shipped to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for minor leaguer Jim Jarvis, a 24-year infielder who was with the Tigers’ Double-A team. Detroit is in first place in the American League Central.
Montero joined the Braves in April as part of a trade with the Houston Astros. He was not exceptional, finishing his time with the Braves with an ERA of 5.50 and a WHIP of 1.398 in 36 appearances and 34 1/3 innings. But he did have a .211 opposition batting average, including .197 against lefthanded betters (a reverse split as Montero is a righty).
Montero also has postseason experience, having pitched for the Astros in the playoffs in 2022 and 2023. He helped Houston win the 2022 World Series. The 34-year-old Montero is on an expiring contract.
In three minor-league seasons since getting drafted in the 11th round out of Alabama, Jarvis has hit .242 with eight home runs in 795 at-bats. At Double-A Erie this season, he hit .242 with two home runs and an OPS of .652. He has played shortstop, third and second, with the majority of his innings at short.
About the Author
Ken Sugiura is a sports columnist at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Formerly the Georgia Tech beat reporter, Sugiura started at the AJC in 1998 and has covered a variety of beats, mostly within sports.
