Braves won the Rafael Montero trade by an even wider margin than we all thought

House That Hank Built · Jul 22, 2026 11:54 · 3 min read

Braves won the Rafael Montero trade by an even wider margin than we all thought — Jul 17, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin (30) celebrates with shortstop Jim Jarvis (74) after a three-run home run against the Texas Rangers in the fourth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When the Atlanta Braves traded away Rafael Montero, it looked like they were just cutting him loose. However, that deal brought back Jim Jarvis in return.

When the Atlanta Braves traded Rafael Montero, it looked like a move where Atlanta just wanted to be rid of him as quickly and cleanly as possible. The Braves had acquired Montero from the Astros in hopes that they could fix his issues and turn him back into a useful bullpen arm. That obviously did not happen, and the end result was Anthopoulos cutting the team's losses and somehow finding a team in the Tigers that thought he still had some value. For many, the trade return wasn't the point, but our collective dismissal has proven to be incorrect.

After the trade, Montero was honestly okay for Detroit with a 2.86 ERA across 20 appearances, although his 4.50 FIP did suggest that he was a bit lucky and he still walked 14 batters in 22 innings of work. The Braves had to be happy with the move, and Montero is now toiling away at Triple-A with the Yankees and hasn't pitched in the big leagues at all in 2026.

However, remember that trade return for the Braves? Well, that was infielder Jim Jarvis, who, against all odds, has quickly become a Braves fan favorite and a surprise solution to their immediate shortstop woes.

Jim Jarvis has already become an absolute steal for the Braves even if this run doesn't last

Now, we have seen flash-in-the-pan players before, and there is some reason to think that what Jarvis is doing right now isn't sustainable. After all, Jarvis has never hit the ball this hard this often down in the minor leagues, and if something looks too good to be true, it often is over a larger sample.

However, there were some clues that Jarvis' bat had come around down at Triple-A and may have foreshadowed what we are seeing now. He was in the middle of the best offensive season of his career at Gwinnett with an .868 OPS while still showcasing the speed and arm that he always had at his disposal. It is also true that Jarvis' current production just SEEMS insane, because he has been clutch in some really big spots. If you look at the big picture, his current .291/.333/.458 is good, but not so good that it seems impossible to keep up.

Given what the Braves were trying to accomplish with the Montero trade at last year's trade deadline, that Atlanta got a useful player back at all is surprising. That they ended up getting a guy in Jarvis that feels very difficult to take out of the lineup when Ha-Seong Kim is activated from the IL is absolutely wild. For now, it may be just to enjoy the ride while it lasts.