Rafael Montero

BIOGRAPHY

Rafael Montero was born on October 17, 1990, in Higuerito, Bánica, Dominican Republic. He is a pitcher in the MLB.

Montero signed with the New York Mets as an international free agent on January 20, 2011. Nearing his 21st birthday he signed at a much older age than most Dominican players. In his first professional season he went 5-4 with a 2.15 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 71 innings.

In 2012, Montero went 11-5 with a 2.36 ERA, with 110 strikeouts and 19 walks in 122 innings. Prior to the 2013 season, Baseball America ranked him as the Mets' fifth best prospect. He started the season with the Double-A Binghamton Mets. He was promoted to Triple-A Las Vegas 51s in June.

In 2013, with Binghamton and Las Vegas went 12-7 with a 2.43 ERA with Binghamton and a 3.05 ERA with Las Vegas, with 150 strikeouts and 35 walks in 154.4 innings pitched.

On December 15, 2020, Montero was traded to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Jose Corniell and a player to be named later.

Over the 2022 regular season, Montero appeared in 71 games and accumulated 68+1⁄3 innings, 2.37 ERA, 14 saves, and 5–2 W–L record, and allowed 47 hits, three home runs, and 23 bases on balls with 73 strikeouts. He ranked third in the AL in pitching appearances, and tied for seventh in holds (23), and ranked second on the Astros pitching staff in both holds and saves.

Montero made his postseason debut on October 11, 2022, in Game 1 of the American League Division Series (ALDS). He pitched a clean ninth inning was the winning pitcher in an 8–7 Astros' walk-off win over the Mariners. Montero appeared in each game of the ALDS, delivered 3+1⁄3 shutout innings, allowed three total baserunners, and struck out three batters.

On November 2, 2022, Montero was put into Game 4 of the World Series to pitch the 8th inning, with a no-hitter on the line. He came very close to allowing a hit with two outs in the inning on a line drive to right field, but it was caught with ease by right fielder Kyle Tucker. He was then relieved by Ryan Pressly for the 9th inning, who completed the no-hitter. The Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in six games to give Montero his first career World Series title.