Tigers announce rotation plans to kick off spring training as fan anticipation rises

Spring has sprung in Lakeland, and the Detroit Tigers are handing the ball to a hungry arm to begin Grapefruit League play — offering a reminder that even with much of the roster set, there’s still something to watch every day in camp.

The Tigers will officially open their spring training schedule on Saturday, Feb. 21, with 25-year-old right-hander Keider Montero on the mound against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. It’s a meaningful nod to a young pitcher with real upside who will be representing his native Venezuela at the World Baseball Classic — and a tantalizing preview of the depth battles that will carry through March.

Montero has bounced between roles in recent seasons — starting, long relief, even pinch-role bullpen innings — as Detroit’s staff has juggled development and opportunity. In 2025, he logged a 4.37 ERA in 20 appearances (12 starts) for the big club and worked 42 2/3 frames in eight starts with Triple-A Toledo.

While Montero isn’t currently projected to rank among the Tigers’ Opening Day five — that honor is expected to go to Tarik Skubal, Framber Valdez, Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize and Justin Verlander — this spring start is about more than one outing. It’s a chance for him to make his case for rotational depth or a meaningful bullpen role with the Tigers in 2026.

Jack Flaherty, Tarik Skubal to start Tigers' first pair of home spring games in 2026

Detroit’s rotation additions this offseason — notably Valdez and Verlander — have vaulted the staff into one of the American League’s most intriguing groups. But with injuries, World Baseball Classic assignments and new faces vying for innings all in play, spring camp is far from a formality.

After Saturday's Grapefruit League opener, plans for Detroit’s first full weekend of Grapefruit League action include a two-tiered approach Sunday and Monday. Flaherty will draw the start Sunday’s home opener against the Baltimore Orioles before transitioning to rookie Bryan Sammons, and Skubal slated for Monday against the Minnesota Twins before handing things off to KBO signee Drew Anderson.

For the Tigers, this isn’t just about who throws the first pitch of February. It’s about setting a tone. With an established ace in Skubal and a franchise legend in Verlander anchoring a rotation built to contend, every spring inning now carries weight. Montero’s start, the international additions, the layered pitching plans — it all points to a team that understands depth wins seasons.