The Rockies announced today that they have recalled outfielder Brenton Doyle, a promotion that was reported yesterday to be imminent. The corresponding move is that infielder Elehuris Montero has been optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Doyle was called up as a couple of Colorado outfielders are dealing with some day-to-day injuries. Kris Bryant is experiencing pain in the sacroiliac joint and glute on his left side, while Yonathan Daza was hit by a pitch on his hand yesterday. It had been speculated that perhaps one of them would be headed to the injured list, but the club has instead demoted a player who was their regular third baseman until recently.
Montero, 24, was one of five players that came over to the Rockies in the Nolan Arenado trade, which continues to look like a major misstep for the organization. Montero and left-hander Austin Gomber were the two most notable players coming the other way and neither has provided much value to the Rockies thus far. Gomber has an even 5.00 ERA through 360 1/3 innings and recently got candid about how the pressure of trying to live up to that trade was affecting him.
As for Montero, his prospect hype was at its peak going into 2019, when Baseball America ranked him the #81 prospect in the entire league. His stock faded a bit over the next two years, but the Rockies still liked him enough to make him a key piece of their return for Arenado. He has continued to play well since the trade, but only in the minors. He spent 2021 between Double-A and Triple-A, hitting .278/.360/.529 for a wRC+ of 132. He continued hitting well in the minors last year, getting called up to make his major league debut. But in 69 major league games thus far, he’s hit just .238/.276/.419 for a wRC+ of 77. He’s struck out in 33.9% of his plate appearances while walking in just 4.2% of them.
Montero is primarily a third baseman but has been blocked there by Ryan McMahon. This spring, second baseman Brendan Rodgers dislocated his shoulder and required surgery that could be season-ending. The club decided to deal with that issue by moving McMahon to second and giving Montero a crack at the third base job. Unfortunately, that plan didn’t work out, as Montero has continued struggling at the plate and also in the field. All three of Defensive Runs Saved, Outs Above Average and Ultimate Zone Rating have given him negative reviews for his glovework in the early going this year.
Montero is just 24 and certainly could still take steps forward at the plate and in the field, but there may be an inflection point not too far over the horizon as he has just one option year remaining. Once he spends 20 days in the minors, 2023 will officially burn that final option. Unless he’s quickly recalled in the next couple of weeks and stays in the majors the rest of the way, he will be out of options next year. McMahon is under contract through 2027, which perhaps means Montero should spent more time at first base, where he’s also seen some action. C.J. Cron is an impending free agent, perhaps opening up that spot next year, though Montero would have competition from Michael Toglia. For now, Montero will continue his development in Albuquerque and try to work his way back up to the big leagues.
Some former Rockies FO executive is now deleting the Arenado trade as a bullet-point on their résumé. (They should’ve before this, but they were holding out hope). Austin Gomber, don’t let us down!
Arenado wanted out. Wasn’t an instance of a GM being crafty trying to rebuild roster. They extended Arenado and he still demanded a trade early into his extension. I’m normally not one to side with the franchises but blame goes both ways on that situation.
Called that one. Rockies front office can be disappointing, but rarely are they surprising.
A real Fantasy Baseball Commissioner would have vetoed that Arenado trade.
The Rockies believe that Elehuris Montero is the worst defensive player in Rockies history despite having Dante Bichette and having SIGNIFICANTLY worse defensive players at the same position in the minors,
The Arenado return was never going to get a chance here. And it’s being removed from the Rockies organization like a tumor.
There is a big difference in believing someone is the worst defensive player in the history of the franchise (not Dante Bichette BTW) and believing someone needs more seasoning on both his bat and his glove.
Honest question? Is this the worst trade in baseball history barring the Babe Ruth deal?
Depends on who you’re asking. Every Astros fan would say the Yordan Alvarez/Josh Fields trade everyday and twice on Sunday.
That guy is more than 15 years of greatness away from Babe Ruth,
Babe Ruth was purchased.
On December 15, 1900; the Cincinnati Reds traded Christy Mathewson to the New York Giants for Amos Rusie. I doubt this trade will ever be surpassed as the most one sided trade of all time.
Amos Rusie won 246 games, won 30+ games four consecutive years, topped 500 innings pitched 3 times consecutively and was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1977. Not a nothing return for CM.
Need more analysis of 1900 trades. This is the good stuff. 246 for Mathewson – fascinating.
Amos Rusie had 246 wins before he was traded to the Reds.
After Amos Rusie was traded to the Reds, he started 2 games in his only season and compiled 0 W, 1 L, 22 IP, 8.59 ERA.
After Christy Mathewson was traded to the Giants, he started 551 game over 17 years and compiled 373 W, 188 L, 4,789 IP, 2.13 ERA. He went back to the Reds in 1916 and pitched one of those games as Manager.
Mathewson was the first pitcher elected to the Baseball HOF. He and Rusie represent the NY Giants.
The Orioles trade for Glenn Davis should be mentioned in this conversation
Curt Schilling was part of 4 or 5 one sided trades, especially the first three BOS to BAL to HOU to PHI.
The Rox suck and went going anywhere this year. Montero should be playing everyday. If at the end of the season they still have the same issues then make a move.
All the players from that trade are trash.
Gomber came out and said himself the trade jacked him up trying to replace Arenado. Montero…has power yes…but also swings at every curveball in the dirt…
Rox need to embrace the suck, call up Veen & Toglia and trade Marquis and Cron.
Marquis? He hasn’t pitched in Colorado since 2009. I think you are looking for the name Marquez.
yes that is true..my bad..
On the plus side, I’m pretty sure that Montero is the all-time leader in hits among players named Elehuris.
I love that name.
Isn’t Montero the guy that the Rockies owner name dropped as a reason why they would contend?
Time to trade for Austin Meadows and his bro Parker Meadows. Just send us that Zac Veen kid and a flier and we’ll call it even 😉
This is what makes the Rockies the Rockies. Instead of giving a 24 year old with proven minor league stats an opportunity, they will trot Moustakas out there to waste AB’s.
Montero might not amount to anything, but I would certainly give him 400 or so DH AB’s as opposed to letting him waste time in AAA.
Not a waste of time in AAA If he can get his hitting confidence back and learn to play passable 3B and/or 1B
They can bring him back up if they trade Cron in July, which they should but probably won’t.
With the way Cron has been swinging lately, he might not have any value in July. I am reminded of guys like Atkins and Hawpe that were kept too long and then quietly let go.
He DID get an opportunity. They moved McMahon off third to give him that opportunity and Montero squandered it. Major league baseball is a very competitive business. You don’t get to keep going if you are not playing well. There are lots of other players waiting to take the spot if you don’t look like a major league player. And Montero so far has not looked like a major league player. There is still time. He wasn’t DFA’s. He could easily turn things around in the minors and still have a very productive big league career. But he has to prove that he belongs first.
He’s already proven he can hit AAA pitching. Give him 1B and DH AB’s and see if he can produce. The guy was hitting ..289 when he was benched.and went 0-6 after that.
When can a last place team look at a 24 year old guy who hit .310 at Albuquerque with some power last year and say, “eh, 51 AB’s is enough, let’s look at this Moustakas or Profar guy?
I think it’s crap management.
Truth.
They should have traded Cron, Blackmon and never signed Moustakas to begin with. They’re finishing last, regardless. Let the kids play and potentially develop.
Montero needs a chance. He’s hit in the minors and has nothing left to prove. His glove is awful, but he can play 1B and DH..
These other guys are well into the back nine of their careers and Cron would have been a perfect fit with the Phillies, who lost Hoskins. Blackmon, Moose and Cron are all in walk years, too.
So give Montero more leash.
.278 at Albuquerque in 2021, .902 OPS.
.310 in 2022. .933 .OPS.
Let’s send him back down and see what he can do at AAA???
Meanwhile, Moustakas, Cron and Profar throw up negative WAR and they play.