Tigers Sign Framber Valdez to Lucrative Deal Amid Tarik Skubal Arbitration Fight

Detroit’s pitching staff has reportedly received a major upgrade.

The Tigers reportedly opened their wallets to sign Framber Valdez. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Tigers have reportedly signed a star pitcher to lucrative deal—just not the one you’re probably picturing.

Detroit and pitcher Framber Valdez have agreed to a three-year contract worth $115 million, according to a Wednesday evening report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Valdez, 32, has spent his entire eight-year career with the Astros.

With Houston, Valdez went 81–52 with a 3.36 ERA and 1,053 strikeouts. He made the American League All-Star team in 2022 and ‘23, has received Cy Young votes in four different years and has proven remarkably durable in a taxing era for starting pitchers—qualifying for the ERA title each of the last four seasons.

He won a World Series with the Astros in ‘22, going 3–0 in the postseason with a 1.44 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 25 innings.

For the Tigers, the move comes on the reported eve of a verdict in their much-anticipated arbitration showdown with pitcher Tarik Skubal. Skubal has won the last two American League Cy Young awards, and filed for a salary $13 million higher than Detroit’s suggested figure. He will be a free agent after next season.

Valdez and the Tigers are scheduled to open 2026 on March 26 against the Padres.

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