Detroit Tigers Sign Framber Valdez

The Detroit Tigers have reportedly bolstered their pitching lineup by signing free agent Framber Valdez to a three-year contract valued at $115 million. This addition is particularly noteworthy as Valdez joins a rotation that already features two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.

Valdez, who played a key role in the Houston Astros’ 2022 World Series victory, spent the first eight years of his career with the team. During the 2025 season, he participated in 31 games, achieving a 3.66 ERA and striking out 187 batters.

Since making his Major League Baseball debut in 2018, Valdez has amassed an impressive record of 81 wins and 52 losses, alongside a cumulative ERA of 3.36. Notably, he has maintained an average of over 191 innings pitched in the past four years, sharing this distinction with only Logan Webb of the San Francisco Giants, as both pitchers have thrown at least 175 innings each season.

One of Valdez’s remarkable achievements includes pitching a no-hitter against the Cleveland Guardians in 2023, with a near miss in 2024 against the Texas Rangers.

Interestingly, Valdez previously declined a $22.025 million qualifying offer from the Astros in November. As a result, Houston will receive a compensatory draft pick after the fourth round of the upcoming MLB Draft.

Meanwhile, the Tigers are on the brink of learning the outcome of Skubal’s arbitration hearing, where he requested $32 million while Detroit proposed $19 million.