Tigers rookie's latest outing shows he could slowly be turning into key 2025 piece

Compared to the Detroit Tigers' Opening Day roster, the team that took the field at T-Mobile Park on Tuesday was practically unrecognizable.

Detroit traded away Jack Flaherty, Mark Canha, Andrew Chafin, and Carson Kelly at the deadline; Riley Greene, Parker Meadows, Kerry Carpenter, Reese Olson, and Casey Mize are all on the injured list; and Javier Báez is on bereavement leave. What remains is a team of largely unproven youngsters, all of whom still managed to get the job done for Detroit and improve the club's season record to 54-60 with a 4-2 win over the Seattle Mariners.

Rookie right-hander Keider Montero stole the show with a dominant performance on the mound. Montero, who entered Tuesday's game with a 6.18 ERA, delivered the best start of his rookie season and allowed just one earned run on four hits and a walk while striking out eight over six innings.

Detroit's No. 7 prospect showed poise under pressure as he worked himself out of a jam in the sixth with two runners on and nobody out. His eight strikeouts were a career high, and he lowered his ERA to 5.62 in nine games (eight starts) in his rookie season.

Montero's second career win was a bright spot in what has otherwise been a challenging season for the 24-year-old. If he continues to show improved control and strikeout ability, he could turn into a reliable option to help out the Tigers' injury-depleted pitching rotation (as well as a consistent option next year when there's a clearer picture).

Young guns provide Montero with run support, carry Tigers to victory over Mariners

In addition to Montero's electric six-inning performance, the Tigers received all four of their runs from three rookies: 22-year-old second baseman Colt Keith, 24-year old right fielder Wenceel Pérez, and 24-year-old center fielder Parker Meadows.

Meadows broke the ice for Detroit in the fourth inning with an RBI single to center field to score Pérez and give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. Keith and Pérez extended that lead to 3-0 when they hit back-to-back RBI singles in the fifth. Meadows smashed his fourth homer of the season to right field off Trent Thornton to give Detroit the insurance run in the eighth inning.

Catcher Dillon Dingler, also a rookie, finished 1-for-4 with a double while flashing his strong arm by throwing out Mariners shortstop Dylan Moore trying to steal second base in the third inning.

Meadows, Keith and Pérez finished for a combined 5-for-12, earning all four RBIs for the Tigers in the win. Tigers relievers Will Vest, Jason Foley, Beau Brieske and Tyler Holton held the Mariners to one run through the final three innings to close out the game. But Montero's performance is resonating the most, and there's promise for him if he can finish the 2024 season on a high note.

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