Yankees Part Ways with Rafael Montero

The New York Yankees have announced the release of veteran right-handed reliever Rafael Montero, according to their Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Montero, who signed a minor league contract in February, has not made any major league appearances this season.

Montero, who turns 36 in October, faced delays in starting his season due to visa issues that kept him from joining the Yankees' camp on time. He eventually made his season debut in late April, pitching 27 innings with a 5.67 ERA. His performance has been affected by a high .385 average on balls in play, although he has maintained a solid strikeout rate of 25.8% and a manageable walk rate of 10.2%.

Despite his struggles, Montero has shown decent metrics, including a 44.6% ground-ball rate and a 34.1% chase rate. His fastball velocity has decreased from previous seasons but remains competitive. Teams looking for bullpen assistance may consider Montero, who had a 4.48 ERA in his last major league season.