Keider Montero pitched 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball to defeat the Rangers on Saturday.
Although he was going to open up in the minors, Montero looked like a deep sleeper this spring because of a nice velocity boost leading into the WBC. As it turned out, that extra velocity disappeared as soon as the season stated, but Montero has been quite effective anyway, going 2-2 with a 3.48 ERA in six starts. He’ll almost certainly start giving up more homers going forward — he’s allowed one every 11 innings this season, compared to a career rate of one every 5 1/2 innings — but if he can hold on to the improvement in his walk rate, he’s certainly a solid enough fourth or fifth starter for Detroit. He’ll face the Royals next weekend.