Tampa — Even though the transaction wire read that reliever Dylan Smith was sent back to Triple-A Toledo Thursday night, he was told to find a seat on the Tigers’ flight to Tampa.

“They just told me to come to Tampa with them,” said Smith, who pitched two scoreless innings in Game 1 of the doubleheader against the Pirates, serving as the 27th man. “I didn’t really know why.”

He found out Friday. The Tigers optioned right-hander Keider Montero to Toledo and recalled Smith. Montero threw 77 pitches in five innings in Game 2 and won’t be available to pitch for five days.

The Tigers opted to keep an extra reliever.

“I met with Keider today and let him know that he’s been a part of this since the beginning,” manager AJ Hinch said. “It’s been a little bit of a back and forth for a large portion of season and right now we really need the coverage in the bullpen.

“We will deal with the rotation going forward as it comes.”

Hinch said this move was unrelated to the progress rehabbing right-hander Reese Olson is making. Olson, who is dealing with inflammation in his ring finger, struck out five in 3⅔ scoreless innings with Toledo in St. Paul Thursday. He threw 58 pitches including seven changeups, which has been the pitch that’s caused the irritation.

“Reese had a great night and took a good step forward,” Hinch said. “He reported back to Detroit today and said he feels real good. We’re going to continue to build on that. Our expectation is that he’s going to need another (rehab start).”

With the next two Mondays off, the Tigers can get by with four starters for perhaps two times through the rotation.

“Maybe,” Hinch said. “That’s one path we can take. We have this Monday off and the Monday following. We know what’s going on for the next series. We know Tarik (Skubal) will start Tuesday (against the Athletics). But as we move forward, we will look at all of our options.”

Montero was still with the Tigers on Friday. He ran the steps at Steinbrenner Field in the dense heat before storms washed out the Tigers’ early work.

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

“But as you’ve seen, we’re willing to maximize our roster to deal with our needs.”

Homerin’ on Holton

There is no real mystery about Tyler Holton’s recent struggles.

“It’s hard to live in this league in the middle,” Hinch said, meaning in the middle of the plate.

Holton gave up a pair of home runs in the second inning in Game 2 Thursday and has allowed eight in 34⅓ innings. Last season, in 60 fewer innings, he allowed only seven.

“Unfortunately for him, middle is turning into damage,” Hinch said. “That’s what’s frustrating for him and frustrating for us. I just think he’s being punished, it feels like for every mistake he makes. It’s part of it.

“He’s been tremendous for us over the course of his time here and we fully expect him to get his command back.”

Nice first impression

Right-hander Carlos Hernandez, claimed off waivers from the Phillies earlier in the week, struck out two in 1⅓ scoreless innings in his Tigers debut in Game 1 Thursday.

And perhaps tellingly, he used only three of the six pitches in his repertoire.

“We would like him to simplify things,” Hinch said. “It doesn’t mean eliminate anything. But we’re trying to zero in on what he does well.”

Hernandez stuck with his power four-seamer (97.8 to 99.3 mph), slider and splitter. He did not use a knuckle-curve, sinker or sweeper.

“His starter background has brought more of the thought that he needs to have a bigger arsenal,” Hinch said. “But it’s hard to do that as a reliever, it’s hard to get through all your pitches. We need to work with him a little bit and get more information about what he likes and how he likes to work.”

Hernandez, speaking through interpreter Carlos Guillen, likes to have all six arrows in his quiver.

“It depends on what the game requires and what the situation requires,” he said. “Those three were working good so I took advantage of them. There is no elimination (of pitches). I’m working and attacking the hitters to exploit their weaknesses.”

Around the horn

Riley Greene has knocked in 25 runs in his last 28 games. He’s also the first Tiger to have 55 RBIs on June 20 since Miguel Cabrera had 57 in 2014. Also, he joins Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh as the only players in the American League with at least 15 homers, 55 RBIs and 33 extra-base hits.

… The Tigers went into the game Friday with a 17-3 record against teams from the American League East.

… With Trey Sweeney getting the start at shortstop Friday, Hinch had to decide how he wanted to use Colt Keith and Javier Báez.

“There’s no negative way to play it,” Hinch said.

He decided to start Báez at second and Keith at third largely because he wanted to keep Báez in the middle of the field, especially with five left-handed hitters and two switch-hitters in the Rays lineup.

chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com

@cmccosky

Tigers at Rays

▶ First pitch: 12:10 p.m. Saturday, Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, Florida

▶ TV/radio: FDSN/97.1

SCOUTING REPORT

▶ RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (0-0, 3.97), Tigers: He’s going through the typical progression for pitchers coming off major elbow surgery — which means that some days all his mechanics will be in rhythm and the ball will be both coming out good and going where he wants it to. Then there will be games like his last outing against the Reds where the stuff was good but the command wonky. What’s been encouraging is the overall quality of his stuff — opponents are hitting .143 against his four-seamer, .200 with a 42% whiff rate against his changeup and his slider, though getting nicked (.333) has a 38.9% whiff rate.

▶ RHP Ryan Pepiot (4-6, 3.11), Rays: He’s allowed three runs or fewer in 14 of his 15 starts and he’s coming off an eight-inning gem against the Orioles (a run, four hits, 11 strikeouts). When he’s rolling, he doesn’t need much more than his 95-mph four-seamer and changeup (.198 opponent average, 30.6% whiff). He also mixes a slider and occasional curveballs and cutters. Right-handed hitters have fared better against him this year (.776 OPS vs. .599). They are attacking his four-seam (.310 average, .577 slug).