Keider Montero Should Have Tigers Considering Final Move Before Opening Day
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The Detroit Tigers dropped another spring training game on Thursday afternoon to bring their record to 0-5-2 as they still look for their first victory of the exhibition schedule.
While the actual results should be taken with a grain of salt, individual performances feel relevant to evaluate where a player is at entering the season, especially on the pitching staff. Making a second start of the spring on Thursday was Keider Montero, and after a dreadful showing in the opener, things did not get much better against the Baltimore Orioles.
Montero allowed five hits and two runs in three innings without a strikeout coming off a showing against the New York Yankees where he allowed three hits and three runs in two innings. This brings his ERA to a 9.00 with a 1.80 WHIP in five innings with eight hits and two home runs allowed.
With still plenty of time until the season and the pitching depth for the Tigers all of the sudden looking much more shaky than initially suspected as the team awaits news on Troy Melton, Montero's performance should have Detroit considering another move.
Tigers May Have Pitching Depth Issue if Montero Keeps Struggling
If Melton is out for an extended period -- which seems could be the case -- Montero becomes immediately one of the next men up in the swingman role he has played for the last couple of years.
Perhaps Drew Anderson gets that first shot this time around, but there's no question Detroit is going to be asking Montero to make starts at some point this season as things currently stand in the pitching staff.
In terms of the free agent market at this stage, things are looking fairly bleak, and the Tigers must consider whether Montero still brings more than any outside addition at this stage. Detroit's front office should be watching the right-hander very closely over the coming weeks, and if he does not improve perhaps a trade could be in the cards.
Who Could Tigers Go After in Potential Trade?
Non-contending teams are always looking to ship away pitching depth this time of year in exchange for prospects to aid their farm systems, so it would make sense for Detroit to look here if there is a deal to be made.
It's unlikely someone like Sandy Alcantara is dealt before the trade deadline, but the Tigers don't need to go after another ace, they need depth who can fill in and be versatile should they run into trouble in terms of injuries.
Look for back end of rotation names to emerge in conversations over the next month, and while it's far from a guarantee Detroit makes another move, insurance could clearly be used in this staff. If Montero can get it together over his next couple starts or the news on Melton is positive, perhaps the need becomes less urgent.
In today's day and age though, you can truly never have enough pitching, and the Tigers should have that mindset moving forward.
Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.