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Detroit Tigers promote pitcher Keider Montero for MLB debut in doubleheader vs. Pirates
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- Detroit Tigers promote pitcher Keider Montero for MLB debut in doubleheader vs. Pirates
The Detroit Tigers have a new pitcher in the big leagues.
Right-hander Keider Montero , whom the Tigers signed out of Venezuela for $40,000 in 2016, has been called up from Triple-A Toledo to start Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader at Comerica Park vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates (25-29), making his MLB debut. Montero has joined the Tigers (26-27) as the 27th player in the doubleheader, meaning it's a one-day promotion. Game 1 starts at 12:40 p.m., with Game 2 set 40 minutes after Game 1's conclusion.
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Montero, 23, is the Tigers' No. 7 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline . He has a 4.40 ERA with 17 walks and 36 strikeouts across 30⅔ innings in nine starts with the Mud Hens this season.
Montero will return to Toledo after Wednesday's doubleheader.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Keider Montero (54) throws a pitch in the second inning of a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on Friday, March 15, 2024.
The Tigers promoted Montero, not right-hander Matt Manning , who has started the previous three doubleheaders for the Tigers this season, but has a 4.88 ERA in five starts in the big leagues.
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Manning hasn't pitched since May 19.
The Tigers optioned Manning to Toledo before Friday's game , making room for the return of right-hander Kenta Maeda from the injured list.
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Montero brings a four-pitch mix to the Tigers: a 95 mph (on average) four-seam fastball (thrown 54.7% of the time), 84.7 mph slider (24.4%), 79.7 mph curveball (15.6%) and 85.6 mph changeup (5.3%).
His curveball averaged a 2,842 rpm spin rate, many times maxing out above 3,000 rpm — an elite number. His slider is the best swing-and-miss pitch in his arsenal, and his fastball velocity has climbed past 97 mph.
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Last season, Montero pitched for High-A West Michigan (four starts), Double-A Erie (15 starts) and Toledo (eight games), totaling a 4.66 ERA with 49 walks (8.9% walk rate) and 160 strikeouts (29.1% strikeout rate) across 127⅓ innings in 27 games between the three levels.
The Tigers added Montero to the 40-man roster in November to avoid losing him in minor league free agency.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers promote Keider Montero over Matt Manning to start vs. Pirates
