Tigers Daily Report
April 05, 2026
Executive Summary
With back-to-back wins against the Cardinals—including a rain-shortened 11-6 victory Saturday—the Tigers have surged into a three-game series finale on Sunday Night Baseball. The big story remains Justin Verlander's placement on the 15-day injured list due to left hip inflammation, with Keider Montero expected to make his start in tonight's finale.
Top Story
Montero Gets Called Up to Start as Verlander Sidelined
The Tigers placed Justin Verlander on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 1) due to inflammation in his left hip. Verlander lasted just 3⅔ innings in his season debut against Arizona, surrendering five earned runs and two homers, with his first home start now delayed. Keider Montero, a 25-year-old righty recalled from Triple-A Toledo, will take the mound tonight and posted a 4.37 ERA with 90.2 innings last season, though he's begun 2026 with four shutout frames in Triple-A allowing just one hit and one walk.
Source: MLB Trade Rumors
Around the Club
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Game Recap — Kerry Carpenter, Zach McKinstry, and Matt Vierling each drove in three runs with two-run homers in Saturday's 11-6 rain-shortened victory over St. Louis. Source: ESPN
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Pitching — Framber Valdez collected his second straight quality start Friday with the Tigers, allowing three hits and two walks over six scoreless innings with five strikeouts in Detroit's 4-0 home opener win. Source: CBS Sports
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Prospects — Kevin McGonigle, the MLB No. 2 prospect, has been inserted into Detroit's everyday lineup as shortstop, while Max Clark starts the season in Triple-A Toledo. Source: MLB.com
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Injuries — Hao-Yu Lee is beginning a rehab assignment with Single-A Lakeland after an early-March left oblique strain, with plans to report to Triple-A Toledo upon completion. Source: CBS Sports
Quick Hits
- Sunday Night Baseball on NBC and Peacock features the Tigers and Cardinals in the series finale at Comerica Park.
- The Tigers improved to 4-4 with their home stand success after dropping four straight to open the season.
- Riley Greene, who led the Tigers with 155 hits last year, got off to a 5-for-25 start through the first six games.
Next Game
vs. St. Louis Cardinals — 7:20 PM ET, Comerica Park
Tigers Daily Report — April 05, 2026