Keider Montero's resurgence with Tigers is being affected by terrible timing

The Detroit Tigers are finally starting to get healthier with their starting rotation. They were supposed to be a strength of the team coming into the year, but injuries derailed that plan almost from the start. 

They’re getting their big pieces back, but that means that some younger arms who performed well when the veterans were injured are now on the outside looking in. Keider Montero has been moved to the bullpen (again), even though he’s pitched very well as a starter this season.

In 89 2/3 innings pitched, the 25-year-old Montero has a 3.31 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 19 walks. Opponents are hitting just .212 off him and his 0.99 WHIP is truly impressive.

Since moving to the bullpen he hasn’t missed a beat. On Wednesday against the New York Yankees, he pitched two scoreless innings, so he has taken his new role in stride even though he has to be disappointed after how well he pitched as a starter.

But with Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Framber Valdez, and Casey Mize all rotation fixtures, there’s not a ton of room for young pitchers to break through. That could change, of course, depending on what the team decides to do at the trade deadline, but their sweep of the Yankees certainly keeps the hope of contending for the playoffs alive.

Montero should be back in the rotation at some point

Even if Montero is limited to long relief duties the rest of this season, he’s certainly done enough for the Tigers to feel good about having him in the rotation next season. With Skubal, Mize, and Flaherty all set to be free agents, there are likely going to be at least a few holes in the rotation. Montero seems like he’s finally ready to fill one.

It’s great to see him take this step forward after the start of his career was okay but not exceptional. He had a collective 4.57 ERA in 189 innings pitched from 2024 to 2025, which definitely says “swingman” more than it does rotation piece. He’s changed that narrative entirely now.

As Tigers fans have seen this season though, injuries are to be expected, so it would not be a big shock if Montero ended up back in the rotation at some point this season. He’s the victim of bad timing right now, but if he continues to pitch well whenever he gets an opportunity then good things are going to happen one way or another. 

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