The News’ Tony Paul gives his quick takes on the Tigers’ 2-1 loss to the White Sox on Sunday:
One thing I loved
Keider Montero was beyond outstanding. Maybe the best he’s ever been in the major leagues.
Montero went six innings and allowed just two hits, and one of them could’ve just as easily been scored an error on second baseman Zach McKinstry. Montero didn’t walk anybody. He struck out four.
And Montero was incredibly efficient, needing just 65 pitches (46 strikes) to get through the six innings, but Tigers manager AJ Hinch apparently really, really, really liked Drew Anderson’s change-u[p against all the White Sox left-handed hitters coming up in the seventh inning.
Welp.
Montero was making his 11th start of the season since taking the rotation spot when Justin Verlander went down with a hip injury in early April, and Montero has long looked like a keeper for the long haul even after Verlander returns (which could happen in the coming couple days, with a rehab start set for Tuesday).
One thing I didn’t
I’ve gotten asked a lot about who’s to blame most for the Tigers’ woes, and how much of the blame should go to manager AJ Hinch. I struggle to find a ton of blame for Hinch (stay tuned on his explanation in taking Montero out) given he’s got what he’s got to work with, which is lots of guys who are underperforming and lots of guys who shouldn’t be in major-league starting lineups.
But I think he should have to answer for one thing: Colt Keith. Hinch doesn’t seem to have a plan for how to use him. He’s playing third, he’s playing DH, he’s playing first, he’s pinch-hitting, he’s being pinch-hit for, he’s sometimes not playing at all. I just feel like Keith is a cornerstone, and he needs to play daily, for better or worse.
The Tigers have committed to him for the long-term. It’s probably time to commit to him in the short-term, too. And who knows, maybe a little consistency in how he’s used could help Keith find some consistency (and some confidence) at the plate. His OPS had slid to .678 entering Sunday’s game, and he still hasn’t homered in 2026. Keith was 0-for-3 Sunday before, yep, he was lifted for a pinch-hitter.
Three stars
(Season total in parentheses)
Spencer Torkelson (8)
Kevin McGonigle (18)
Colson Montgomery
Player of the game
Keider Montero (4)
Tigers’ uniform tracker
Next Tigers game
Game 61: Tigers at Rays, 6:40 Monday, Detroit SportsNet, 97.1
ICYMI: Yesterday’s Tigers recap
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Tigers, Game 60: One thing I loved, one thing I didn’t
Reporting by Tony Paul, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
