Yankees quietly get important relief help back after unexpected offseason obstacles

The New York Yankees made a number of cost-effective, under-the-radar moves this season. Some have panned out nicely, like Amed Rosario. Some haven't at all, like Randal Grichuk. Some of the others we haven't even got to see yet.

One of those was signing reliever Rafael Montero to a minor league contract on Feb 13. It was far from anything flashy for the bullpen, but the veteran right-hander experienced a revival with the Detroit Tigers during the second half of 2025, which was a hopeful sign of things to come.

We'll get into those details soon, but Montero was unable to have a proper offseason with the Yanks. He was mired in visa issues, which kept him from re-entering the United States and joining the Yankees in Tampa for spring training.

There have been few updates on Montero ever since then, but on April 2 he was placed on the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders' Development List — the first sign that he was nearing a return. On Friday, Montero was reinstated off the Development List, meaning we could see him start getting some game action in very soon.

How Rafael Montero factors into the 2026 Yankees' bullpen plan

Back on March 31, it was reported Montero was granted residency in the US but still hadn't been issued a green card. It appears everything's gone smoothly based on the RailRiders' recent slew of roster moves.

So what can Yankees fans expect as the situation nears its resolution? Well, given their largely precarious bullpen structure at the moment, Montero could be in the Bronx within the month. Once Ryan Weathers returns from the paternity list, Jake Bird will likely be optioned to Triple-A. At that point, the Yankees will probably need to upgrade over Angel Chivilli (or maybe vice versa).

At this rate, they are going to hang onto Paul Blackburn, Ryan Yarbrough and Camilo Doval for as long as they possibly can. Part of that group might feature an exodus when Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón are ready to return, though.

Montero, who was a star with the Astros in 2022, fell off a cliff in Houston after signing an unexpectedly lucrative contract. The Astros DFA'd him in 2025 and he spent the remainder of the campaign with the Braves and Tigers.

In Detroit, Montero registered a 2.86 ERA and 1.18 WHIP across 22 innings of work. He struck out 19 batters and only allowed 4.8 H/9. Walks were an issue with a 5.7 BB/9 mark, but he discovered far more effectiveness with his splitter. He had similar usage with his splitter and four-seam fastball in Atlanta, but the Braves were a cursed bunch in 2025. He finished with a 5.50 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 34 1/3 innings with the Braves before they traded him.

The ceiling for Montero is remaining a respectable bullpen option from June until the end of the season. It can't be ruled out, especially since there will a path cleared for him thanks to some uncertainty with the back end of the unit. But be prepared to expect production somewhere in the middle. Montero's probably one of your two last guys in the 'pen who will be tasked with eating innings during blowouts and/or taking the ball when Boone is down a group of guys for a day of rest.

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