Keider Montero has done just about everything right for the Tigers this season. The timing, though, has been brutal.
Detroit is finally getting healthier in the rotation, and that has pushed Montero back into the bullpen for now, even after he turned in a strong run as a starter. In 89 2/3 innings, the 25-year-old has posted a 3.31 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 19 walks. Opponents are batting just .212 against him, and his 0.99 WHIP stands out even more.
The move hasn’t slowed him down. On Wednesday against the New York Yankees, Montero threw two scoreless innings and looked comfortable in relief, continuing to handle the shift without issue. Still, it’s hard to miss the fact that he earned more, only to get squeezed by the return of established arms.
Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Framber Valdez, and Casey Mize are all in rotation spots now, which leaves little room for younger pitchers to force their way in. That picture could still change depending on what Detroit does at the trade deadline, but the Tigers’ sweep of the Yankees kept their playoff hopes alive and preserved some flexibility.
Even if Montero spends the rest of this season in long relief, he’s already made a strong case for a bigger role going forward. With Skubal, Mize, and Flaherty all set to become free agents, Detroit is likely to have openings next season, and Montero looks like a real candidate to step into one of them.
That’s a major turn for a pitcher whose early career profile was solid but not eye-opening. From 2024 to 2025, he put up a 4.57 ERA across 189 innings, the kind of line that points more toward swingman than rotation mainstay. This year has changed that conversation.
And with the way injuries have hit the Tigers already, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Montero gets another shot in the rotation before the season is over. For now, he’s stuck behind the wrong crowd at the wrong time. But if he keeps pitching like this, the opportunity should come back around.
In Other News...
Tigers Finally Have A Flaherty Trade Prospect Worth Watching Again
When the Tigers sent Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers in 2024, the return looked like the kind of deal that would need time to sort itself out. Trey Sweeney has not given Detroit much to celebrate so far, but Thayron Liranzo is starting to change the tone around that trade package, and his progress has put him back on the radar as one of the more interesting young names in the system.
Liranzos path has not been smooth, with injuries and personal tragedy helping drag down a season that pushed him off multiple top-100 lists. Even so, the catcher has shown enough improvement to earn another look on a bigger stage, and his renewed attention gives the Tigers at least one reason to keep watching the Flaherty deal with fresh eyes. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Make Sudden Coaching Change Amid Growing Baserunning Scrutiny
The Tigers made a notable coaching adjustment in the middle of the season, with A.J. Hinch saying third base coach Joey Cora has left the organization and Billy Boyer is stepping into the role right away. Boyer had been working in the clubs system as quality control coach and minor league infield coordinator, so this is a familiar internal move rather than a hire from outside the building.
The timing adds weight to the change, coming as Detroits baserunning has drawn more attention and the club continues to look for cleaner execution on the margins. Cora had also been handling infield instruction, and Boyer is expected to take on those responsibilities as well, giving the Tigers a broader shift in how that part of the staff is organized moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Baseball America Just Delivered A Brutal Reality Check On Tigers Prospects
Baseball Americas midseason farm system rankings delivered a sharp reminder of how quickly a prospect pipeline can lose its shine. Detroit slid to No. 22, an 18-spot drop from where it stood before the season, with the decline tied to a mix of injuries and the natural churn that comes when top talent moves up the ladder.
The Tigers have already watched Kevin McGonigle and Hao-Yu Lee graduate from the system, and the depth behind them has been thinned by a wave of injuries across the organization. Even with Max Clark and Bryce Rainer still among Baseball Americas top-100 prospects, the ranking underscores how much pressure is now on the rest of the farm to rebound and restore some of the luster that made Detroits system so highly regarded not long ago. [Read more 🡒]