Report: Rangers trade reliever Rafael Montero to Mariners

The Seattle Mariners agreed to a move they hope will bolster their bullpen during an offseason filled with a plethora of uncertainties due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported on Tuesday that the Mariners are acquiring right-handed relief pitcher Rafael Montero from the Texas Rangers. 

Montero, who turned 30 years old in October, suffered a complete tear of the ulnar collateral ligament while with the New York Mets ahead of the 2018 season and missed that entire year after he underwent Tommy John surgery. He then joined the Rangers the following offseason but didn't receive his big league call-up with Texas until July 2019. 

Across 17 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, Montero recorded eight saves and tallied a 4.08 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 17.2 innings pitched. 

In return, Texas landed 17-year-old right-hander Jose Corniell and a player to be named later.

"This 17-year-old right-hander has already worked hard to add strength to his 6-foot-3 frame since signing for $630,000 out of the Dominican Republic in July 2019," Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Mike Rosenbaum of the league's official website recently wrote of Corniell. "He has the makings of a very good three-pitch mix, with a fastball touching the mid-90s, and has shown a better feel for pitching than most hurlers of his age and experience."