Thursday, May 28

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MINNEAPOLIS -- Keider Montero was in Syracuse, New York, on Saturday afternoon, studying up on some of the Mets’ top prospects ahead of his scheduled start when he got called into Mud Hens manager Gabe Alvarez’s office.

“Right before the game, the manager and the pitching coach told me that I was getting called up, so I had to get my bag ready,” Montero said through translation from Tigers manager of Spanish communications and broadcasting Carlos Guillen.

It’s a call that Montero has gotten used to over the past couple years. Six times last season, Montero was called up from Triple-A Toledo, including twice for spot starts as part of doubleheaders. He got a sustained stretch of starts and bulk work for almost six weeks from mid-May to mid-June, but otherwise his rotation spot was transitory, holding a role until somebody got healthy or the schedule allowed another option. 

When Montero finally stuck with Detroit for good down the stretch, he transitioned into a relief role and became a bullpen force, helping keep the Tigers alive in extra innings during their Division Series Game 5 marathon in Seattle.

That prompted speculation Montero could move to relief full-time, but he’s too valuable in his current job for that. It’s a thankless job, but it’s a vital one for a team to win. Teams don’t get through seasons with five starters these days. Even teams that don’t have injuries occasionally utilize a sixth starter to get through a long stretch of games without an off-day.

It’s a big role for a Major League team to fill. It’s just a role that often involves time not being in the Majors.

“The message [to him] has really been to control what he can and continue to push forward in the areas where we want him to get better,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He takes everything in stride. He trusts himself. He trusts us. He knows he’s going to be a part of this. He clearly wants to be a regular with us, and he will be. I don’t know when and I don’t know how long or how much.”

Though the Tigers' rotation was pretty much set once Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander signed just before Spring Training, Montero’s time was coming. Even with Verlander’s Hall of Fame resume, 43-year-old starters rarely fill a rotation for a full season without a break. With Troy Melton injured, Montero was the easy choice.

“When we optioned him, we told him [the call] could come quick,” Hinch said. “And sure enough, we need him now.”

Montero gets it, because he wants to win. And after filling a similar role with Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, he has experienced winning on a big stage.

“I played with guys who are veterans with a lot of experience in baseball and I faced good hitters as well,” Montero said. “I absorbed from guys a lot in dealing with tough situations.”

In the WBC, like with the Tigers, Montero flashes the stuff to succeed, from a mid-90s fastball to high-spin curveballs and sliders. His downfall is in the consistency. On Sunday night against the Cardinals, defeat came in no small part due to an 0-2 slider that caught too much of the strike zone to Cardinals catcher Pedro Pagés for an RBI single in a four-run fifth.

Montero was shutting down the Cardinals until that inning, with three runs (two earned) on his ledger. He’ll get another chance next weekend against the Marlins, plus at least one more turn the following week before Verlander is eligible to return. Then it could be back on the circuit he has become used to riding.

“I am proud of him for how he has handled a really bizarre role for us the last couple years,” Hinch said.

The Tigers are scheduled to face right-handed starting pitchers for at least their first 13 games, their longest streak to open a season since they faced 18 straight right-handers to open the 2019 season. Which longtime AL Central nemesis ended the streak in 2019?

A. Danny Duffy

B. Martín Pérez

C. Carlos Rodón

D. Chris Sale

• Triple-A Toledo: The Mud Hens head into their home opener Tuesday afternoon at Fifth Third Field with a 3-6 record after splitting a six-game series last week in Syracuse. Tigers No. 2 prospect Max Clark is batting .367 (11-for-30) through eight games with six doubles, three RBIs, seven runs scored, three stolen bases, seven walks and just two strikeouts. Wenceel Pérez is batting .294 (10-for-34) through eight games with three doubles, two homers, four RBIs, nine runs scored, seven walks and four strikeouts.

• Double-A Erie: The SeaWolves opened their season at home by losing two of three to Giants-affiliated Richmond. Brett Callahan went 5-for-12 with two homers, three RBIs and five runs scored. Andrew Jenkins went 6-for-12 with a double, triple, home run and eight RBIs.

• High-A West Michigan: The defending Midwest League champion Whitecaps celebrate their home opener on Tuesday night after opening their title defense by taking two of three at Cleveland-affiliated Lake County. Hayden Minton tossed four scoreless innings with five strikeouts and combined with three relievers on a two-hit shutout in a 1-0 victory on Opening Day Thursday. Woody Hadeen went 4-for-8 with a double and an RBI in two games.

• Single-A Lakeland: The Flying Tigers return to Joker Marchant Stadium for six games starting Tuesday night against Daytona after sweeping three games from the Yankees-affiliated Tampa Tarpons over the weekend. Carson Rucker went 4-for-9 with three doubles and five RBIs in two games. Tigers No. 3 prospect Bryce Rainer, returning to action after missing the second half of last season with a shoulder injury, went 1-for-6 but drew four walks and scored three runs along with an RBI.

C. Rodón, then in the fifth of his seven seasons with the White Sox, beat the Tigers on April 19, 2019, at Comerica Park with six innings of one-run ball. 

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