The Tigers optioned right-hander Keider Montero to Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday afternoon. That takes him out of consideration for the Opening Day roster.
It’s a moderate surprise that Montero was demoted this early in camp. The 25-year-old finished last season on the MLB roster and added 5 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run over three playoff appearances. Detroit’s offseason additions of Framber Valdez, Justin Verlander and Drew Anderson left him without a path to a season-opening rotation job.
Rather than keeping Montero in the mix for a swing role, they’ll have him stay stretched out in Triple-A. Montero is away from the team pitching for his native Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. Manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic) that the plan is for Montero to make one or two bulk appearances in the tournament. He’ll continue to build to a starting workload with Toledo after that.
Detroit has a front five of Tarik Skubal, Valdez, Verlander, Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize. Anderson is out of options and needs to be on the MLB roster. He’ll start the season in long relief assuming no injuries for the rest of camp. He’d presumably step into the rotation if anyone gets hurt.
Montero, who turned in a 4.37 ERA across 90 2/3 innings a year ago, is seventh on the rotation depth chart with Troy Melton likely to open the season on the injured list. He has one minor league option year remaining. Assuming he spends at least 20 days in the minors over the course of the regular season, he’d be out of options going into 2027.
While Montero will be playing in the WBC, another Detroit player has pulled out of the tournament due to injury. Chinese Taipei announced that second/third base prospect Hao-Yu Lee strained his left oblique (relayed by Evan Woodbery of MLive). He had been with the Taiwanese team in Tokyo for pool play but is headed back to the Tigers’ spring complex for evaluation.
The 23-year-old Lee spent all of last season in Toledo. He hit 14 homers with a .243/.342/.406 batting line across 579 trips to the plate. Lee, whom Baseball America ranked as the #6 prospect in the organization over the winter, was added to the 40-man roster in November.
Lee wasn’t likely to receive consideration for the Opening Day roster, but the injury is a small hit to Detroit’s infield depth. Even less severe oblique strains typically require multiple weeks, meaning he’s probably headed for the minor league injured list to begin the season. Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei was blanked 3-0 by Australia in the first game of the WBC tonight.
No surprise, no harm, no foul. Montero had to know he was Toledo-bound when Valdez & JV were signed. It seems early, but he’s going off to play in the WBC anyway. This just means he heads to minor league camp when he’s done there.
He’s still a valuable piece to have. He’s probably first man up when a starter is needed this season – which can be anytime. It’s a long season. He’s been pitching well, so far this spring after his nice showing in the ’25 playoffs.
Tough break for Lee. He seemed pumped to play in the WBC. Obliques can take time to heal. I also wanted to see him take some more reps in the infield during spring training.
I think it would have been hard for him, Jung or Anderson to break camp with Detroit, unless there was an injury. With how McGonigle is playing, and the other options already in place at 2B and 3B they seem like longshots. Depth is good!
Agree! In fact, I would be looking for trade partners who might find value in Jung, Anderson and/or Lee. They seem superfluous to the Tigers’ future needs – barring injury, of course. IMO, they have been surpassed by Trei Cruz.
If Montero were out of options, he would have been an option for the bullpen. But what team only needs 5 starters in today’s game? Need to keep someone stretched out in Toledo and he is one of our better options for that.
Feels like a punishment
Everybody remembers the pitching chaos of 2024 as Skubal + the bullpen. People forget Keider was there starting down the stretch. His numbers weren’t amazing, but without him eating innings and keeping us in the game, not sure if the Tigers make the playoffs that season. I just wish they’d find a way to give him more consistent reps. I think he could put it together and give 150 decent innings if they let him.
I haven’t forgotten, and I’m sure AJ hasn’t, either. Keider (not the other Montero!) had some very impressive IPs in the playoffs.
This season’s initial roster may be the equivalent of a basketball game lineup where it’s not important who starts the season on the roster, but who finishes. AJ may end up adding KM to the postseason roster instead of someone on the opening day roster.
Whatever gets us the ring!
It just shows how highly the team views his work. They know what he can do, and that’s a weapon they just keep loaded in Toledo until needed.
Gained a few ticks on the fastball late in the season when moved to the bullpen. Injuries to Melton, Reese, Jobe keeping him in Toledo for starting depth. Would have liked to see him opening day in the pen for us. 5 1/3 innings 0 earned in the playoffs. Fireman.
He has talent, a good player to fill in this year and maybe into the rotation next year.
Since Montero wasn’t likely to start for the Tigers and their bullpen is already overcrowded, optioning him to Toledo in order to work as a proper starter is the right decision. The rotation is set, Anderson seems to be the prime swingman, but Montero’s time will come – as it did in 2024 and 2025, including playoff appearances.
Next year, there is Valdez plus plenty of question marks with Olson, Jobe and Melton coming back from long-term injuries, Anderson without a track record and Montero. Did I mention that his time will eventually come?
Gruß,
BSHH