The Hiroshima Carp of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball have signed Montero to a one-year contract, Yahoo Japan reports.
Montero will give NPB a shot after slashing only .228/.277/.387 over parts of three major-league seasons with the Rockies. He will be paid a $400,000 signing bonus and earn a salary of $850,000.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Outrighted to Triple-A
Rotowire
Montero cleared waivers Thursday and was sent outright to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Montero was DFA'd by the Rockies on Sunday after slashing .205/.267/.304 over 247 plate appearances, but he'll officially remain in the organization after passing through waivers unclaimed. Until the 25-year-old is able to turn things around at the plate, he'll serve as organizational depth in the minor leagues.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Cast off 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Rockies designated Montero for assignment Sunday.
After popping 11 home runs in 307 plate appearances with the Rockies in 2023 and securing an everyday role coming out of camp this spring, Montero looked to be an attractive late-round target in drafts. Unfortunately for his fantasy managers, Montero quickly fell out of favor, and he didn't show any signs of improvements after regaining playing time once injuries began to pile up for the Rockies. Even with Kris Bryant (oblique) still stuck on the 10-day injured list, the Rockies didn't have room for Montero as a backup option at first base or designated hitter with the team needing to clear a spot for catcher Elias Diaz's (calf) return from the IL. The 25-year-old Montero, who had posted a .474 OPS in June and a .205/.267/.304 slash line over 247 plate appearances on the season, has no minor-league options remaining, so he would need to be carried on the 26-man active roster if another team trades for him or claims him off waivers.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Playing time dwindling
Rotowire
Montero is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game in Houston.
Montero is out of the lineup for a fourth straight game, though he did make one pinch-hitting appearance over that stretch. The recent emergence of Michael Toglia and Hunter Goodman has put the squeeze on Montero's playing time, and his .581 OPS on the season hasn't helped, either.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Clubs fourth homer
Rotowire
Montero went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 11-9 loss to the Dodgers.
Montero has an extra-base hit and at least one RBI in each of his last three games. He began Tuesday's game on the bench but entered early after Charlie Blackmon (hamstring) exited the contest. Montero is at a middling .209/.274/.313 slash line with four homers, 27 RBI, 22 runs scored and 10 doubles over 62 contests this season, though he's hit just .167 (8-for-48) in June. If Blackmon misses additional time, that may allow Montero to be in the lineup more often, as his playing time has started to slip.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Hitting bench Sunday
Rotowire
Montero is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.
Montero will get a break for the series finale after he had started in each of the Rockies' last four games while going 2-for-13 with a double, two walks, two runs and one RBI. Though he's maintaining a lowly .554 OPS for the season, Montero could hold down a near-everyday role until the banged-up Rockies get some of their hitters back from the injured list.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Late addition to lineup
Rotowire
Montero will play first base and bat cleanup Saturday against Pittsburgh, Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com reports.
Brenton Doyle (knee) was scratched from the lineup Saturday, and as a result Jake Cave will move to center field as Michael Toglia moves to right, opening up first base for Montero. Montero has just two hits in his last 23 at-bats and owns a .546 OPS on the year.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Serving as DH on Friday
Rotowire
Montero is starting as the designated hitter and batting eighth for Friday's game against the Pirates.
Montero was initially slated to begin Friday's game on the bench, but he was inserted into the starting lineup after Jake Cave (undisclosed) was hit in the head by a line drive during batting practice. Montero will face off against Pirates opener Carmen Mlodzinski.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Sitting in second straight
Rotowire
Montero is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Twins, Luke Zahlmann of The Denver Gazette reports.
Even with Kris Bryant (ribs), Sean Bouchard (ankle) and Brendan Rodgers (hamstring) recently joining Nolan Jones (knee) and Jordan Beck (hand) on the injured list, Montero still hasn't been able to maintain a regular spot in the Colorado lineup. He'll take a seat for the second day in a row, with his move to the bench coming after he had gotten off to a 3-for-27 start to June while striking out at a 39.3 percent clip. Recent Triple-A Albuquerque call-up Michael Toglia sported a hot bat during the Rockies' four-game weekend series split with the Cardinals and looks to have unseated Montero as the Rockies' preferred option at first base for the time being.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Heading to bench Sunday
Rotowire
Montero is out of the lineup for Sunday's game at St. Louis, Luke Zahlmann of The Denver Gazette reports.
Montero started the previous six games but will take a seat Sunday after going 3-for-23 with nine strikeouts during that span. Michael Toglia will start at first base and bat seventh in the series finale versus the Cardinals.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Taking seat Sunday
Rotowire
Montero is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Luke Zahlmann of The Denver Gazette reports.
Montero started the previous six games but will head to the bench Sunday after batting .167 during that span. Kris Bryant will shift to first base while Brendan Rodgers serves as the designated hitter and Alan Trejo starts at second base.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Pops third homer
Rotowire
Montero went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, a walk and an additional run in Tuesday's 13-7 loss to the Guardians.
Montero has made three straight starts since Jordan Beck (hand) landed on the injured list, with two of those starts coming against righties. He's been productive in that short span, driving in four and also scoring four runs. Montero will need to continue to hit to maintain playing time, but the absence of Beck creates the possibility of more regular plate appearances.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Potential for playing time
Rotowire
Montero went 1-for-3 with two RBI, a run scored and a walk in Monday's 8-6 win over the Guardians.
Montero had been limited to a short-side platoon role since the return of Kris Bryant from the injured list, but he's started both of Colorado's games since Jordan Beck (hand) landed on the shelf. Beck's absence allows the Rockies to play Charlie Blackmon in right field and shift Kris Bryant to designated hitter, opening first base for Montero. However, Jake Cave and Hunter Goodman also remain options for the Rockies in right field, so consistent plate appearances are far from assured for Montero.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Sitting in second straight
Rotowire
Montero is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Athletics.
Kris Bryant will make a second straight start at first base since his return from the injured list Tuesday, with Montero hitting the bench for both contests. The 25-year-old could still see regular playing time against left-handed pitching, but Montero looks like he'll be the odd man out of the lineup versus righties for now. Despite seeing everyday playing time for most of the season, Montero has disappointed with an underwhelming .582 OPS through 153 plate appearances.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Drives in three
Rotowire
Montero went 2-for-4 with a double, three RBI and a run scored Monday against the Padres.
Montero returned to the lineup after a two-game absence where he sat in favor of Hunter Goodman. Montero has been in a significant slump, going just 7-for-36 with a 27 percent strikeout rate across 11 contests in May. It's possible he'll continue to lose at-bats to Goodman in the short term, and he will also face additional challenges for playing time when Kris Bryant (back) is able to return.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Sitting in second straight game
Rotowire
Montero is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers.
Montero's grasp on the everyday role at first base seems to be slipping, as he finds himself on the bench for the second day in a row. Hunter Goodman -- who went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's 8-3 win -- will draw another start at first base at Montero's expense. Montero has gone 5-for-31 with one extra-base hit (a double) and a 31.3 percent strikeout rate over his last nine games.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Sitting amid slump
Rotowire
Montero is not in Saturday's lineup against the Rangers.
Hunter Goodman is picking up the start at first base and batting eighth for the second time in six days. Montero is hitting .161 with 10 strikeouts and one walk in eight games this month.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Sitting Wednesday
Rotowire
Montero is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Giants.
Montero will exit the starting nine for the first time since April 21, when he sat out the front end of a doubleheader with the Mariners. His move to the bench comes while he's fallen into a 3-for-23 slump at the dish over his last six games, though the Rockies haven't signaled that Montero's standing atop the depth chart at first base is in any jeopardy.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Tallies second homer
Rotowire
Montero went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run Tuesday against the Marlins.
Montero went yard in his first plate appearance of the game to tally his second homer of the season. After a slow start to the campaign from a results perspective, he has gone 8-for-31 with seven RBI and three runs scored across his last eight contests. Montero's production should continue to tick up as he has maintained a vastly improved 16.8 percent strikeout rate.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Slugs first homer
Rotowire
Montero went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk Thursday against the Padres.
Montero went 6-for-22 through the first six games of the Rockies' homestand, though all but one of those hits was a single. His lone extra-base knock came Thursday, which also marked the first home run of his season. Montero is batting only .233 through 82 plate appearances, but he has cut his strikeout rate to just 14.6 percent this season and has started 13 of the last 14 games.
