Rangers Trade Rafael Montero to Mariners
The busy winter months continue for the Texas Rangers as they completed yet another trade on Tuesday afternoon. The Rangers have traded closer Rafael Montero to the Seattle Mariners. Right-handed pitcher Jose Corniell and a player to be named later will go to Texas in the exchange.
We have acquired RHP Jose Corniell and a PTBNL from Seattle in exchange for RHP Rafael Montero. pic.twitter.com/mdt8klijvo
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) December 15, 2020
Bullpen Help
It is to be determined where Corniell will fit in, but most people wouldn’t be surprised to see him pitching out of the bullpen somewhere in the Rangers system, as they are in need of help in that area. The Mariners also hope to bolster their bullpen with the acquisition of Rafael Montero. This makes three trades for the Rangers in the last week. They traded Lance Lynn to the Chicago White Sox, and made a deal to get outfielder-first baseman Nate Lowe from the Tampa Bay Rays.
Never Enough Pitching
Baseball purists know that you can never have enough pitching. Things happen such as injuries, and you need reliability in your pitching staff. Another thing that can happen is a pitcher not being effective. In Montero’s case, perhaps a change in scenery will help him. In 2020, he appeared in 17 games and posted a record of 0-1, and an earned run average of 4.08 with 19 strikeouts and six walks.
Return On Investment
As for Jose Corniell, he was ranked as the 24th prospect in the Mariners system. He is only 17 years old, and as of right now has a better feel for pitching than most his age. He has three pitches in his arsenal. His fastball can reach the mid-90’s, and he has a power curveball that could morph into a slider at some point. He can also throw a pretty good changeup as well. The Rangers have very good cause to be excited about what they will be getting in this trade.
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