The Houston Astros and Rafael Montero came to agreement on a three-year, $34.5 million contract Saturday. It marked the first signing of the offseason and the first move without general manager James Click at the helm.
The Astros will pay Montero $11.5 million each season for the next three years, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reported Thursday. The front office decided not to front load nor back load the contract while the average annual value is what counts against the Competitive Balance Tax threshold.
Montero was acquired by the Astros in 2021. After being designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners, the righty was tossed in a trade that brought Kendall Graveman to Houston for reliever Joe Smith and utilityman Abraham Toro.
Montero proved to be more than a throw-in arm. The righty moved to the forefront of the best bullpen in Major League Baseball, becoming a high-leverage weapon a year after being removed from a 40-man roster.
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