"Striking Juan Soto out was motivating" - Tigers rookie Keider Montero delighted to get one over the intimidating Yankee in shutout win

Keider Montero started for the Detroit Tigers on Saturday as they faced off against Juan Soto and the New York Yankees. He pitched well, going five innings, giving up zero runs on two hits, helping his club win 4-0.

He kept the Yanks' bats quiet, which has not been the case for many pitchers this year. Montero had five strikeouts during the Saturday victory and was named Family Heating, Cooling, & Electrical's Player of the Game.

Following the win, he spoke to reporters about his and his team's performance. The young righty could not have been happier with Saturday's results.

"I am very happy and satisfied with everything that happened today, not only from my end but the rest of the guys back in the bullpen. We were able to execute the plan that we had," - Montero stated through his interpreter.

Montero stated that he and the squad came in with a game plan and executed it perfectly. The Saturday victory brought their record to 60-64 on the year.

"To be honest, I like to compete and I like the competition. Guys like Soto, he challenges you a lot with the staring at you, the way he looks at you, the way he stares at you, so striking him out was a little motivating" - said Montero's interpreter.

Montero could not help but feel good about his day against Juan Soto. He got him to line out in the first inning and got him to strike out swinging in the third.

Keider Montero has looked good lately

Detroit Tigers - Keider Montero (Source via IMAGN)

Keider Montero is in his first season in the big leagues. He was an unranked prospect last season but came into the new year as the Tigers' No. 9 overall prospect.

He added fastball command to make his nasty offspeed pitches much more effective. Now, he looks much more like a complete pitcher and could be in Detroit's rotation for years to come.

As stated earlier, Montero has worked on his fastball command, which averages 95 mph. However, he can ramp it up to 98, but that is not his bread and butter.

Where Montero shines is his offspeed stuff, specifically his slider. It has been his go-to pitch, and he has been able to get a good amount of swings and misses. He also throws a high-spin curveball and an effective changeup that can keep hitters on their toes.