The Tigers have placed outfielder Kerry Carpenter on the 10-day injured list due to a lower back injury and recalled right-hander Keider Montero as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader against the Pirates, per a team announcement. (Montero’s promotion was first reported on X by Tigers Torkmoil.) Outfielder Akil Baddoo was recalled from Triple-A Toledo to take Carpenter’s spot on the roster. Montero will start Game 2 of today’s twin bill.
Carpenter tells the Tigers beat that he began experiencing back discomfort over the weekend and hasn’t seen improvement yet (X link via Jason Beck of MLB.com). The team is terming his injury “lumbar spine inflammation.” He last played in a game on May 26, so the IL placement is backdated to May 27. If it proves to be a minor issue, he’ll be eligible for a return eight days from now, though the Tigers haven’t given any indication as to how long he might miss.
Subtracting the 26-year-old Carpenter from the Detroit lineup is a significant blow. He’s not as well known as more hyped prospects like outfield-mate Riley Greene, but Carpenter has burst onto the big league scene and cemented himself as a middle-of-the-order presence. Dating back to his 2022 debut, Carpenter has turned in a stout .275/.336/.495 batting line — including a huge .283/.345/.572 slash and eight homers in 163 plate appearances this season. He’s generally struggled against left-handed opponents but has tormented righties with a career .288/.345/.535 output.
With Carpenter sidelined, the Tigers will give more playing time to lefty-swinging Zach McKinstry and to Baddoo against right-handed opponents. Neither should be expected to replicate Carpenter’s production, but Baddoo was hitting a strong .260/.368/.486 in Toledo (119 wRC+) and is a career .237/.322/.406 hitter against righties in the big leagues.
As for the 23-year-old Montero, this will be his first major league call. He signed with Detroit out of Venezuela in 2016 and was added to the 40-man roster last offseason to prevent him from reaching minor league free agency. Montero spent a half decade in the low minors before breaking into the upper levels last season, climbing from High-A to Triple-A by year’s end.
Monerto took the ball 27 times and logged 127 1/3 innings. A pedestrian 4.66 ERA belied a more impressive 29.1% strikeout rate. The Tigers were concerned enough about losing him in the Rule 5 draft to put him on the 40-man roster. Baseball America ranked him as the organization’s #13 prospect over the winter, crediting him with good control and an arsenal headlined by a mid-90s fastball.
Montero has spent the season on optional assignment to Triple-A Toledo. Over nine starts, he has a 4.40 ERA. The 6’1″ righty has fanned almost 27% of batters faced while issuing walks at an uncharacteristically high 12.7% clip. Montero last pitched on May 21 and was slated to take the ball for Toledo on Tuesday. The Tigers scratched him from the scheduled appearance after their game was postponed, when they needed to add another arm for the doubleheader.
In all likelihood, they’ll return Montero to Triple-A after his debut. They’re set in the rotation at the moment with Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Reese Olson, Kenta Maeda and Casey Mize. Righty Matt Manning has been the team’s sixth starter and still figures to be above Montero on the depth chart. It’s nevertheless a momentous occasion for Montero, whose spot on the 40-man could get him a few looks over the course of the season if injuries or the schedule force Detroit to lean on their depth.
Oh good, their only consistent hitter to the DL…
His back probably hurts from carrying the offense.
Not to worry. Scott Harris hasn’t formed their core yet, so none of this counts.
man, I hope akil turns it around.
Not that Manning has been worlds better, but Montero’s pitching in AAA this year has been mediocre at best. Giving him the call-up this early in the season seems odd to me unless we’re showcasing him for a potential trade for a hitter (I hope).
Montero has been perfectly fine in the minors, unless you’re just going off ERA.
You can’t keep sending Manning up and down an infinite number of times.
1.47 WHIP doesn’t seem perfectly fine to me.
A near 30 percent strikeout rate is well, not mediocre. His ERA isn’t a concern to me.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m excited to see him pitch today. I was just surprised he got the call and I doubt I’m alone.
I think more to with not many other starting pitcher choices on the 40 man roster that are currently in the minors
I think it’s a combination of many things but that’s a very astute observation! Tigers brought up Maybin & Miller before they traded them for Miggy.
That would be awesome if they made a trade to strengthen the offence by dipping into theirvsurplus of pitching. In addition to Montero, Manning could be shipped out too. Madden and Jobe might be up later this year so there is depth.
While I would rather see the Tigers call up Justyn-Henry Malloy, Akil Baddoo has had a good but not great season in Toledo and it is time to make long-term decisions on him and McKinstry. This will be an opening for them, or it will provide justification to move on from them.
Agreed, we know what Baddoo is. How about we see what we have in Malloy, the guy Harris said would help reshape the offense over a year ago.
Malloy is definitely long overdue for a call-up and it’s a little frustrating they can’t seem to find an opportunity for him despite our putrid offense. In this case, Baddoo was chosen since he’s a lefty replacing a lefty. Plus, He’s making $1.5M this year.
Both good points. Consider this Baddoo’s last shot to prove himself. Either he does or it’s time to move on. The contract is probably a sunk cost.
Isn’t Baddoo a FA at years end?
He’s under team control through 2027
Do your research STYMEEDONE instead asking very uneducated and stupid questions!
Malloy is not on the 40 Man right now and doesn’t play on defense. He may be the answer as full-time DH but AJ isn’t ready to admit he needs one. I agree with the consensus on Baddoo – a new opportunity may be best, as Parker Meadows seems to be the next lefty outfielder to be recalled.
There are a slew of guys who could be moved from the 40 man roster. The Tigers still have some weak players at the bottom rung.
Kennedy
Kreidler he’s always hurt
Easton Lucas
Brendan White
Carson Kelly… no idea why they didn’t get Bart instead.
Wentz is a candidate once these guys are gone.
Englert too.
There’s a lot of fat to cut.
Lucas is in that spot they seem to keep rotating arms through that they pick up from other teams. Lots of names to choose from to drop when they finally stop screwing around and give Malloy his chance.
Crappy about Carpenter. I agree that Baddoo and McKinistry may be getting their last chance to show what they have. Malloy could come up and DH and Leonard plays pretty much every spot that McKinistry does but has shown he can hit in the minors. I’d like to see both get a chance.
The Tigers are shotty!
Losing Kerry hurts no doubt about it. He’s one guy I would like to see here long term. If the baseball was not deadened this year he’d be way above where he’s at with the long ball. Paying this happy guy would seem to be a no brainer, he’s going to strive to be better each and every year.
If they are going to continue platooning Carpenter, I doubt he would be the type the Tigers would want to sign long term, and I doubt the Tigers would be where he wants to continue his career. Let him play every day!
He can’t play every day when he is AWFUL against lefties.
He’s been AWFUL against lefties in the minors and his short time in the majors
It’s not a “platoon” because they want to give other guys a shot…its a platoon because Carpenter slugs less than his weight, let alone his worse-than-Baez batting average against lefties.
As usual, you speak about which you don’t have a clue about, STYMEEDONE! If a player rakes against righties and sucks against lefties, of course you platoon him. You can extend a platoon type of player. Time for your lobotomy, sir!
Vierling has suddenly become a pretty valuable little utlity player. What a great day.
What a great three games for Vierling, four HR! He’s on one for sure. He makes the Tigers look like the winner of the Soto/Clemens trade to Philly even though Maton and Sands flamed out and are no longer in the organization. Full disclosure, I thought that before his home run barrage. I just hope he doesn’t start thinking he’s a power hitter and swing for the fences all the time. Just keep doing what he’s doing and he’ll be fine.
Agree on that. The BA and OPS have increased too. Good to see some offence from another unlikely source like we saw with Perez, especially with Carp out.
The Montero experiment didn’t go so well….
Carpenter has a stress fracture in his back. He’s going to be out months rather than weeks. I’m not sure what the next move for the Tigers will be, but maybe it’s time to take a look at Malloy. He’s not on the 40-man but no matter, just move Carpenter to the 60-day IL to open up a roster spot.