DETROIT - The Detroit Tigers reached an agreement Wednesday with left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez on a three-year, $115 million contract. The deal adds a premier starter to the rotation as the team prepares for what could be the final season in Detroit for ace Tarik Skubal.
Valdez is a two-time All-Star who has finished in the top 10 of Cy Young Award voting in three of the past four seasons.
Valdez has established a consistent statistical floor since becoming a full-time starter, posting an ERA below 4.00 in every season. Between 2021 and 2024, his ERA remained between 2.82 and 3.45. He recorded sub-3.00 marks in both 2022 and 2024 while exceeding 175 innings pitched in each of the final three years of that span.
Statistically, Valdez ranks among the most active pitchers in the major leagues over the last five years. Since 2020, he is tied for 14th in total starts and ranks fifth in the league with 973 innings pitched. During that period, he maintained a cumulative 3.23 ERA. Over the past year, he completed 29 starts across the regular season and playoffs.
The left-hander has also been recognized for his durability, appearing on the injured list only twice in his career. In 2021, he missed two months after a comebacker in spring training fractured his left ring finger. His only other stint was a two-week absence in early 2024 due to elbow inflammation, from which he returned to finish the season without further issues.
Prior to the agreement with Valdez, Detroit had focused primarily on retaining existing talent and adding bullpen depth. The team kept pitcher Jack Flaherty on a $20 million player option and retained infielder Gleyber Torres through a $22.025 million qualifying offer. Other additions included setup man Kyle Finnegan on a two-year contract, alongside one-year deals for pitcher Anderson and closer Kenley Jansen.