The Detroit Tigers are rolling with a six-man rotation to maximize rest for their starting pitchers during a busy stretch of the schedule.
The Tigers are projected to start Keider Montero for the second time this season in the series opener Monday against the San Diego Padres. Montero will be on his standard four days rest for a five-man rotation after pitching last Wednesday against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Tigers called up Montero for that start against the Brewers to build in more rest for the normal five starters in a stretch of 23 games over 24 days.
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“When we decided that we were going to try to push to get him a second appearance, we had the opportunity to insert him whenever, whether it was tomorrow or Tuesday or even Wednesday,” manager A.J. Hinch said Sunday morning at Comerica Park. “So with that, we can get everybody an extra day. Factor in the off day (Thursday), we really get to push guys back.”
Montero leapfrogs Jack Flaherty in the rotation, pushing him to Tuesday and Reese Olson to Wednesday for the three-game set against the NL West-leading Padres (15-6 entering Sunday).
The series against the Kansas City Royals helped shape the pitching plans. The Tigers used six relievers in Friday’s 7-3 win, but the bullpen reset after Casey Mize threw seven innings in Saturday’s 3-1 win.
“We prepared for both,” Hinch said. “Jack knew he was going to pitch on Monday or Tuesday, kind of depending on how the weekend has gone. Casey logging seven innings yesterday was a huge boost to that plan, giving him extra rest as well. It’s all interconnected, but the goal is to give guys, routinely, extra rest.”
The pitching plan has been planned out by the coaching staff based on the tight stretch of games early in the season.
“We had targeted this part of the schedule originally because this was the longest stretch that we were going to have in the month of April,” Hinch said.
Montero’s goal will continue to be improving his command and location. That has been his primary focus throughout the spring and the first month in Triple-A. His command was an issue in his first start against Milwaukee, as he gave up five runs on eight hits in five innings.
“My last outing in Milwaukee, I left some pitches not where I wanted, the location was pretty bad, and they made me pay the consequences,” Montero said through team interpreter Carlos Guillén. “That’s one of the things I’ve been learning and learned to put into practice for myself.”
Montero, who spent most of 2024 on the major league roster before missing out on a spot coming out of spring, is looking to make the most of this opportunity, however long it lasts.
“I’m taking advantage of every opportunity that I can just to help this team win,” Montero said.
