The pain continues for the Detroit Tigers, who opened up their four-game home series with an 8-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians in yet another vulgar display of offensive futility. Framber Valdez did not help the cause, coughing up four runs in five innings, setting up a deficit that could not be overcome.
So now AJ Hinch and Co. turn to right-hander Keider Montero to try and give his team a chance to right the ship. The 25-year-old’s previous outing was arguably his worst of the season, lasting just 4 2/3 frames, allowing four runs on four hits (two home runs) and two walks while striking out two, earning the loss against the New York Mets.
Montero has faced Cleveland just once before back on July 8, 2024, when he threw 6 1/3 innings of three-hit shutout ball, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out four.
Left-hander Parker Messick will toe the rubber for the Guardians on Tuesday night, coming off two straight solid starts that saw him put up a 2.19 ERA and 2.85 FIP over 12 1/3 innings of work. The 25-year-old has been a veritable innings-eater for Cleveland — quality innings, at that — throwing no fewer than five frames in any of his nine starts and topping out at eight innings once this year.
Messick has seen the Tigers once before in his final appearance of the 2025 campaign on Sept. 25. He lasted just five innings while allowing four runs on six hits (three home runs) and a walk against seven strikeouts, saddling him with his only loss of the season.
Take a look below at how the two match up on Tuesday.
Detroit Tigers (20-28) vs. Cleveland Guardians (27-22)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m.
Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site:Covering the Corner
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 49: RHP Keider Montero (2-3, 3.65 ERA) vs. LHP Parker Messick (5-1, 2.35 ERA)
| Player | G | IP | K% | BB% | GB% | FIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montero | 8 | 44.1 | 17.7 | 5.7 | 32.3 | 3.84 | 0.8 |
| Messick | 9 | 53.2 | 28.3 | 6.8 | 48.1 | 2.98 | 1.4 |
MONTERO
MESSICK