The Tigers call on Keider Montero to open ALDS Game 3, with manager AJ Hinch looking for more bullpen magic

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Tigers plan to put right-hander Keider Montero on the mound against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 3 of their AL Division Series on Wednesday, when a team will take a lead in the best-of-five series .

Cleveland will counter with right guard Alex Cobb, who previously appeared in the playoffs in 2013 when he started two games for Tampa Bay.

The Tigers plan to use a lot of pitchers in Game 3, as they have done twice before in the playoffs and at other times, after sending starter Jack Flaherty to the Los Angeles Dodgers and reliever Andrew Chafin to Texas.

Tigers manager AJ Hinch’s unconventional pitching strategy led the team to win 31 of the final 44 games of the regular season and the franchise to the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

Detroit used seven pitchers in the second and final game of the Houston series and put five players on the mound in the first game against the Guardians.

Montero pitched two scoreless innings on Saturday, but Cleveland opened the series with a 7-0 win. The 23-year-old Venezuelan allowed just one hit against the Guardians and had three strikeouts, leading the Tigers to give him the ball for the third.

He had a 6-6 regular-season record with a 4.76 ERA, making 16 starts and pitching three times out of the bullpen after making his major league debut in May.

Cobb, 37, had hip surgery on Oct. 31 and had not yet returned to the mound when he was acquired from San Francisco at the July 30 trade deadline.

The 2023 All-Star made his season debut on August 9th and was sidelined after two games due to a torn nail on his right index finger. He was 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA in three games and 16 1/3 innings before returning to the injured list to end his regular season with a blister on his right middle finger.

Detroit made just one change after eliminating the AL West champion Houston Astros in the wild-card round, adding Montero to the roster in place of right-hander Casey Mize, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft.

Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said Tanner Bibee will start Game 4 on Thursday night in Detroit if a team has a chance to advance.

Bibee pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings in Game 1 against Detroit. The 24-year-old right-hander was 12-8 with a 3.47 ERA in 31 regular-season starts and is 22-12 with a 3.25 ERA in his two seasons in the majors.

The Tigers will likely lean on at least a handful of pitchers in the second of two games at Comerica Park.

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