The Detroit Tigers have a starting rotation with as much potential as any other staff in baseball, which is a big reason for the team’s strong start.

If the likes of Casey Mize and Reese Olson can keep up their huge steps this season behind the two stars at the top in Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty along with rookie sensation Jackson Jobe harnessing his elite stuff, this is a staff teeming with elite potential.

With so much upside, however, someone was inevitably going to be left out when it came to picking a defined top-five to go into the season with.

In this case, it was the 24-year-old Keider Montero.

Down the stretch of last season en route to the Tigers’ epic postseason run, Montero was absolutely critical.

Making 19 appearances and 16 starts through the pitching chaos that was the back half of Detroit’s season, Montero posted an ERA of 4.76 while throwing nearly 100 innings with the team in need.

It wasn’t this incredible showing from Montero that locked him up a spot this season obviously, but the Tigers likely don’t make the playoffs without the innings he provided.

As a result of the talent in-house, Montero was the odd man out this spring and sent back down to Triple-A, likely to be the first one called up once he is needed to spell an inevitable injury.

However, perhaps the team could find a way to use him now.

On Thursday night, the right-hander was incredible for Toledo, twirling 5.2 perfect innings in which he gave up no hits and no walks while striking out six.

Through two starts so far this year, Montero sports a 2.79 ERA and a 0.72 WHIP.

Though the team cannot afford for Montero to take starts away from Jobe or Mize, a role in the bullpen with him as some sort of long reliever would elevate the staff as a whole.

Understandably due to what they are paying him, Detroit wants to get some sort of value out of Kenta Maeda.

Though he entered the season with high hopes following what was overall a very strong spring, Maeda has been a complete disaster in his three innings over two appearances this year with a 15.00 ERA.

If the Tigers would be willing to admit their mistake and cut their losses on Maeda — who continues to look simply unplayable right now — bringing Montero up to take his spot in the bullpen would make the unit even more dangerous than it already is.

Maeda will likely get at least one more shot, but Montero continuing to excel should have the team considering making a swap and elevating the youngster into the bullpen.