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Tigers' Framber Valdez: Quality start in team debut
Rotowire
Valdez allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits and a walk while striking out five over six innings in a no-decision versus the Padres on Friday.
Valdez's first big-league appearance in anything other than an Astros uniform went well, as he delivered a quality start despite giving up plenty of contact. Valdez threw 63 of 83 pitches for strikes in this outing, though he left the game with the Tigers down 2-1 before the offense got him off the hook with an eighth-inning rally. The veteran southpaw pitched to a 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 187:68 K:BB over 192 innings across 31 regular-season starts in 2025. He has the potential to be a workhorse for Detroit -- he's covered at least 170 innings in four straight seasons. That volume has value, especially since he tends to post strong ratios as well. He's projected to make his home debut for the Tigers against the Cardinals next week.
Valdez allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits across four innings of work in Monday's Grapefruit League contest against the Rays. He struck out six.
Valdez has now made two spring training appearances with his new team, and he's allowed just the one earned run across seven innings of work with nine strikeouts. The lefty gives the Tigers a dynamic 1-2 punch with ace Tarik Skubal, and Valdez seems like he's ready for the regular season. Expect him to start Detroit's second game of the year against the Padres on March 27 and once again have a strong fantasy campaign if he can stay healthy, which Valdez has mostly been able to do the last four seasons.
Valdez allowed two hits across three scoreless innings of work in Monday's Grapefruit League game against Atlanta. He struck out three.
Making his first spring start for the Tigers since inking a three-year, $115 million contract in early February, Valdez looked sharp across his 43 pitches. He threw 30 of those pitches for strikes and managed to scatter two harmless singles. The 32-year-old southpaw figures to slot in to the No. 2 spot in Detroit's rotation behind ace Tarik Skubal, giving the Tigers two of the top left-handed starters in the American League. Valdez has made at least 28 regular-season starts in each of the last four years, and he's compiled a sparkling 3.21 ERA during that time, making him an attractive fantasy option in his first season in Detroit.
