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Chicago — The Tigers are easing second baseman Gleyber Torres back into the lineup after he returned Monday from a second stint this season on the injured list with a left oblique strain.
Backup second baseman Hao-Yu Lee took full advantage of manager AJ Hinch’s plan and helped lift the Tigers to a 5-1 win over the Cubs on Wednesday.
Lee, a 23-year-old rookie from Taiwan, hit a three-run, tie-breaking homer in the fourth inning to put the Tigers ahead 4-1. Lee’s high drive off Colin Rea narrowly made it into Wrigley Field’s left-center bleachers against a cool wind that was blowing in at Chicago’s iconic North Side ballpark.
Lee hit his fifth homer of the season off a 3-0, center-cut fastball.
“I was just looking for a fastball and try to get relaxed and not do too much,” Lee said. “In my first at-bat (a groundout), when it went from 0-2 to 3-2, he threw down the middle. So on the second at-bat and I had it 3-0, I think the pitcher doesn't want to give a walk, so he wanted to throw it in.”
Lee is in his second tour this season with Tigers. He was sent down to Triple-A Toledo on June 2 after 32 games when he was batting .205, and then was recalled on June 13.
Hinch has seen improvement. Lee, appearing in his 60th big-league game, extended his hitting streak to seven games. His average is up to .256.
“I think it’s confidence. He knows he belongs,” Hinch said. “He knows he can play here. He’s already accomplished a lot of firsts, and he’s watching and studying a lot.
“Lee has obviously gained a lot of experience while Gleyber has been down. That can't be overlooked, and we have a lot of trust in him."
Spencer Torkelson had already smacked a solo shot in the second for the first of his two hits. Zach McKinstry doubled in an insurance run in the ninth as Detroit won for the 13th time in its last 18 games, and took a fourth straight road series for the first time since May-June 2025.
Meanwhile, Keider Montero, making his first start since June 26, gave the weary Tigers pitching staff what it needed. He tossed 5⅓ sharp innings, allowing one run on three hits while walking none.
“It was a good series win and really well-played game today,” Hinch said. “And I thought we threw the ball exceptionally well, starting with Keider.
“A lot to like about this entire trip (4-2), but specifically in this game, I mean I thought we played really clean.”
Montero struck out a season-high eight batters, including Cubs All-Star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong twice.
Montero had made five appearances from the bullpen over the last month. In his previous start, he tossed seven innings against Houston and allowed no runs on six hits in an 8-0 win.
Montero said through an interpreter the switch from the bullpen back to the rotation wasn’t tough.
“It’s just get out and do my job,” Montero said. “I feel calm and focused and grateful for having a day like today.”
On Wednesday, Montero yielded a solo shot to Seiya Suzuki on a down-the-middle sinker in the first. It was the first homer the Montero had allowed in his last seven outings, dating to June 21 against the White Sox.
“His changeup got really good,” Hinch said. “The slider was good. He threw a couple of slow breaking balls. The fastball’s always been good. So it was nice to see him really pitch through the outing to a tough lineup."
That’s all the Tigers gave up to the high-powered Cubs offense. Relievers Drew Sommers, Drew Anderson, Kyle Finnegan and Kenley Jansen combined to finish a four-hitter.
Torres rested as part of planned maintenance by Hinch. Torres was sidelined from June 15 until he returned for the series opener on Monday. He played again on Tuesday.
Torres also was sidelined from May 4-June 2 and had appeared in just 45 games entering Wednesday.
All-Star rookie shortstop Kevin McGonigle singled to extend his hitting streak to five games and give him hits in 11 of his last 13 games.
After Suzuki’s drive off Montero put the Cubs ahead in the first inning, Torkelson smacked his 19th homer to left in the second to tie it at 1. He connected on a 88.5-mph slider on the low edge of the zone, sending it 391 feet.
A potential rally in the third inning was dashed when Cubs catcher Carson Kelly easily threw out McGonigle trying to steal second base. Rea then fanned Dillon Dingler and Colt Keith.
After Lee homered, Montero and the bullpen took over from there.
Montero exited with one out in the sixth after Crow-Armstrong reached on the pitcher’s fielding error. Sommers got the next hitter, Michael Busch, to bounce back to him for a double play.
Matt Carlson is a freelance writer.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Keider Montero, Hao-Yu Lee power Tigers past Cubs to cap winning road trip
