MLB Rumors: Rafael Montero DFA'd By Astros After Trade Deadline amid $34.5M Contract

The Houston Astros designated relief pitcher Rafael Montero for assignment on Wednesday, according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle, opening up roster spots for Yusei Kikuchi and Caleb Ferguson after Seth Martinez was also sent down to Triple-A.

Montero was in the second season of a three-year, $34.5 million deal.

It has not been a banner year for the veteran reliever.

Montero has made 41 appearances out of the bullpen this season, going 1-2 with a 4.70 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 23 strikeouts in 38.1 innings. Opponents have a .809 OPS against him. For context, opponents had a .449 OPS against him in 2021 and a .535 OPS against him in 2022, though it jumped to .835 last season.

Not the sort of production Houston was expecting for $11.5 million a season.

It also isn't the first big name the Astros have designated for assignment this year. In June, José Abreu suffered the same fate in the second year of a three-year, $58.5 million deal. He was hitting .124 with two homers, seven RBI and a minuscule .361 OPS in 35 games.

The Astros pivoted at the trade deadline in an effort to reach the postseason, adding Kikuchi to the starting rotation and Ferguson to the bullpen.

"I think our deadline was very strong," general manager Dana Brown told reporters. "We feel very confident that we stabilized the rotation, added to the back half (of) the pen where we had rode those guys real hard early in the season. We feel very confident that we did what we needed to do at this deadline."

Houston is currently 55-52, just a game back of the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners (57-52) but four games back for the final Wild Card spot.