Keider Montero has been on the move for much of the season; since March 22, the 25-year-old has been recalled and optioned five times.
It’s not true trade season yet, but the Tigers are already making moves.
Just 17 days after optioning him to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, the Detroit Tigers recalled right-handed pitcher Keider Montero on Monday, July 7, then scheduled him to pitch that night in the 6:40 p.m. game against Tampa at Comerica Park.
In a corresponding move, the team reassigned left-handed pitcher Bailey Horn to Toledo after Sunday's 7-2 win over the Guardians.
“Our bullpen is a little beat up,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “Keider can pitch in any situation.
"Combine that with the top of their order is generally going to be two, three right-handed hitters and where our bullpen is − all of that sprinkles into the decision and and then we go with what’s best.”
Montero has been on the move for much of the season as the Tigers manage injuries to their bullpen. Since March 22, the 25-year-old has been recalled and optioned five times.
Despite that, he’s fourth on the team in innings pitched, hits and earned runs allowed. His strikeout rate, however, has lagged behind, with only 39 over 56 innings pitched, eighth on the team.
RHP Keider Montero was recalled today from Triple-A Toledo and will start tonight’s game vs. Tampa Bay.
— Tigers PR (@DetroitTigersPR) July 7, 2025
LHP Bailey Horn was optioned to Triple-A following yesterday’s game.
In Montero’s last outing June 19 against Pittsburgh, he pitched five innings, allowing three hits and one earned run with five strikeouts and two walks. The Pirates won that game 8-4, their lone victory of the three-game series.
Montero’s commute between Toledo and Detroit is unlikely to stop soon as the Tigers continue to deal with injuries in the coming weeks. The Tigers are down two regular rotation members: Right-hander Jackson Jobe, whose season ended with Tommy John surgery back in June, and right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long, who is on the 15-day injured list with neck stiffness.
The Tigers are also watching two long-injured players who may be nearing a return, José Urquidy and Alex Lange. Lange, who had 26 saves in 32 games for the Tigers in 2023 but struggled to find his form in 2024, suffered an injury to his right latissimus dorsi tendon last year and needed surgery. Urquidy underwent Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career last year while with the Astros and signed with the Tigers in the offseason.
Both are nearing returns, with Lange throwing for Toledo and Urquidy throwing a double-digit number of bullpens, according to Hinch. However, it might be some time before either see the mound at Comerica. Still, their status complicates the Tigers’ pitching and serves to increase the need for Montero’s movement.
“People forget that you can add internally as an addition,” Hinch said. “I know it’s always viewed upon what somebody external from the organization, but I’lll just be happy when we get healthy.
"And you do get Jose to factor in, Alex Lange to factor in. There’s a lot of guys that have yet to be fully healthy that I think would enhance this team.”
Contact Matthew Auchinchloss at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers recall Keider Montero, reassign Bailey Horn to Toledo
Category: Baseball
