• The Detroit Tigers optioned Keider Montero to Triple-A Toledo and recalled Dylan Smith.
• Injured pitcher Reese Olson will likely need another rehab start before returning to the Tigers.
• The Tigers released reliever John Brebbia after he struggled with a 7.71 ERA.

TAMPA, FL — The Detroit Tigers optioned right-hander Keider Montero to Triple-A Toledo on Friday, June 20, following his start Thursday, June 19, against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Does that mean Reese Olson is coming back?

Not so fast.

“It’s unrelated to Reese,” manager A.J. Hinch said before Friday’s opener of a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. “Our expectation is that he’s going to need another rehab start to continue to move forward.”

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Olson — the No. 3 starter in the Tigers’ rotation — has been sidelined for more than a month with right ring finger inflammation. The 25-year-old right-hander completed the second start of his rehab assignment Thursday with Triple-A Toledo, throwing 58 pitches.

He threw 48 pitches in his first start.

Aside from the increased pitch count, Olson advanced from throwing zero changeups in his first start to seven changeups in his second start. His finger injury forced him to stop throwing his changeup, so incorporating it into games is a big step forward.

Olson typically throws 25% changeups.

He threw 12% changeups in Thursday’s start.

“He feels really good,” Hinch said of Olson, who completed 3⅔ scoreless innings with zero walks and five strikeouts. “If he continues to take these steps, then we can start talking about when he can get back to helping us.”

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Dylan Smith recalled

Replacing Montero, the Tigers recalled right-handed reliever Dylan Smith from Triple-A Toledo. The 25-year-old pitched two games for the Tigers in early June, then returned as the 27th player for Thursday’s doubleheader against the Pirates.

Smith recorded his first MLB strikeout in Game 1 — exactly 17 days after his MLB debut. He then traveled with the Tigers to Tampa on Thursday night.

“I was kind of anxious about it,” said Smith, who struck out Billy Cook swinging with a down-and-away sweeper. “I was antsy. I really wanted to get it out of the way. Now that I got it out of the way, I can focus and do what I do.”

The Tigers have chosen to operate with nine relievers in the bullpen by recalling Smith and optioning Montero — leaving just four starters in the rotation.

Since May 16, the Tigers’ bullpen ranks 25th in MLB with a 4.63 ERA.

“The value is continuing to have guys available when other guys need a blow,” Hinch said. “We’re working through things with a couple of different guys at this point of the season where having the extra arm is a good thing for us.”

There are Monday off days coming up in each of the next two weeks, and since left-hander Tarik Skubal is scheduled to start Tuesday, June 24, against the Athletics, the Tigers could skip the fifth spot in the rotation — just for one turn — before Olson returns.

“We’ll look at all of our options,” Hinch said.

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Message to Keider Montero

Now a Mud Hen, Montero registered a 4.02 ERA with 20 walks and 39 strikeouts across 56 innings in 11 games (six starts) with the Tigers in the 2025 season. His 1.393 WHIP ranks 96th among 128 MLB pitchers with at least 50 innings.

He turns 25 in early July.

“He’s been a part of this since the beginning,” Hinch said. “It’s been a little bit of a back and forth for a large portion of the season. Right now, we really need the coverage in the bullpen, and we’ll deal with the rotation moving forward as it comes.”

Montero surrendered one run on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts across five innings in Game 2 of the doubleheader, which the Tigers lost, 8-4, in 10 innings.

He has allowed two or fewer runs in six games, four of which were starts.

“We fully expect him to be back,” Hinch said. “He’s got some things to work on, but he also can take a little bit of comfort knowing that he has all of our respect, all of our admiration. He’s a good pitcher. He’s going to be back in the rotation at some point.”

John Brebbia released

The Tigers released right-handed reliever John Brebbia.

The 35-year-old was designated for assignment Sunday, June 15, after posting a 7.71 ERA across 18⅔ innings in 19 games. Now, Brebbia is eligible to sign with any team.

In February 2025, the Tigers signed Brebbia to a one-year, $2.25 million contract with a $4 million club option for the 2026 season. The Tigers are on the hook for his salary this season.

The deal didn’t work out as planned.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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READ MORE FROM OUR 2025 SUMMER GUIDE HERE.

The sun rises in the east, and sets in the west … right? Well, yes and no. 

Because Earth tilts as it orbits the sun, the angle of the sunrise and sunset actually moves quite dramatically from north to south over the year. 

The effect is more pronounced in Wisconsin because of our distance from the equator, as opposed to Texas or Florida, for example. All of which is to say that if you get up early in the summer to watch the sunrise over Lake Michigan, you’ll want to face toward the north. 

Technically, the sun does rise in the east and set in the west – but only two days a year, the spring and fall equinoxes. The day after the spring equinox, the sunrise continues its trek north. By the summer solstice it rises about 22 degrees north of due east.

The next day, it reverses course and starts heading south, reaching 29 degrees south of due east at the winter solstice. The swing between those solstices is very noticeable if you’re paying attention. 

“People will say, ‘How is it that I haven’t noticed this?’ If you think about it, you already have,” says Jean Creighton, the director of UW-Milwaukee’s Manfred Olson Planetarium. “There are certain times of the year when you’re driving to work and the sun is in your face, and then certain times of the year you’re driving to work at the same time and the sun is not in your face.” 

So when you’re planning an early morning sunrise trek, make sure you find a good north-facing viewing spot – because the sun doesn’t really rise in the east.

Sun(rise) Spots

Grant Park 

Milwaukee has a bit of a problem if you want an unobstructed view of the summer sunrise – the breakwater. When the sun rises to the north, that line can somewhat obstruct a perfect sun-directly-on-
water view. To avoid that, head south to this park, which also sports some of the nicest trails in the city.   

Sheridan Park 

When the sun is at or near its northernmost point, this park in Cudahy, just outside the city, offers a beautiful angle on it. Hang out on the beach or walk down to one of the piers to get a better look. 

Atwater Park 

North of Downtown, the lakeshore curves eastward around Lake Park and just begins to curve back to the west at Atwater, making it a prime spot for a northeastern viewing of the sunrise.  

Klode Park 

In Whitefish Bay, you’ll find this stretch of shoreline with an unobstructed view of the lake to the northeast.  

Reiman Bridge 

Marry the sunrise with one of Milwaukee’s most striking buildings. Crossing from Wisconsin Avenue to the Milwaukee Art Museum on this footbridge, you can stop and gaze northeast to spot the rising sun over the water.  

Kilbourn Reservoir Park 

At the top of a hill, about a mile inland from Bradford Beach, this park gives you a glimpse past the surrounding East Side to the rising sun, along with one of the best views of Downtown you can find.     

The Minneapolis Fire Department says crews are investigating what caused a vacant building to catch fire Friday morning.

Just after midnight, the Minneapolis Fire Department said crews responded to a fire at the 3000 block of 18th Avenue South. The home’s porch was on fire.

Crews needed to force entry into the building, cutting through boarded-up windows and removing plywood and steel mesh to get inside.

The fire was extinguished by 12:30 a.m., and investigators are still working to learn what caused the fire.