Detroit Tigers Notes: Reactions to the Framber Valdez Issue as Tigers Hit Rock Bottom
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Well, the month of May hasn't gotten off to a tremendous start for the Detroit Tigers, as they continue to be dealt blow after blow after blow. Going into this season with 2026 World Series expectations, the Tigers have taken a considerable step back when it comes to the competition.
On paper, this Detroit team should be performing better than it has; it's essentially the same roster as last season, which resulted in a playoff run. But the product on the field has been filled with inconsistency, injuries, and interesting scenarios.
It's no secret that starting pitcher Framber Valdez, who was expected to step up following the unfortunate Tarik Skubal news, just steered the perception of the Tigers in the wrong direction after his blowup on the mound, resulting in getting ejected after hitting shortstop Trevor Story in the back after allowing back-to-back home runs.
A.J. Hinch's Blunt Comment On Valdez
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch has dealt with controversy in his MLB coaching career, the most famous being with the Houston Astros' cheating scandal. But since coming to Detroit, Hinch has been very upfront about the direction and vision this organization has for success and how he can help players get there.
The situation with Valdez is the complete opposite of what Hinch and the rest of the franchise want when carrying the reputation of the city of Detroit on its back every time it takes the field.
"We play a really good brand of baseball here. That didn't feel like it.... It didn't feel good being out there," Hinch said via Chris McCosky on X (formerly Twitter).
In his postgame, Valdez gave his peace of mind on the situation:
"It was not intentional, it was not on purpose, it may look like that, but it wasn't. I was trying to throw strikes after two consecutive home runs... that pitch came out of my hand, it wasn't on purpose at all."
Interim Boston Red Sox manager Chad Tracy believes that Valdez intentionally hit Trevor Story, deeming it "weak" in his postgame. "Everybody saw it. Their side, our side, I think everybody saw it."
Despite it all, the Tigers sit in a first-place tie with the Cleveland Guardians with an 18-19 record. Some might say that isn't rock bottom, but let's see why overall, it is.
The 1st Rock Bottom of the Year, Explained
The 2026 season will have its highs and lows, and the Tigers have experienced both already this campaign. But hitting rock bottom is something that almost every team hits at some point in the campaign; some are lucky to only hit it once.
With Skubal sidelined, on top of the starting pitching rotation being injured or untrustworthy on the mound as of late, combined with untimely hitting, unclutch moments, and underperforming expectations, the Tigers have hit their first rock bottom.
But just because they are at the very low low for the season doesn't mean they will be kept there as the season continues. As the saying goes, "there's only up from here," and there's no better description for what it's like in Detroit through the first month and change of the campaign.
Getting players like Casey Mize, Javier Baez, Justin Verlander, Troy Melton, and Will Vest back into the thick of things immediately gives this Tigers roster some life. Still, they can't keep hovering around .500 and draw negative attention to themselves before they have the chance to crawl out of the hole they dug.
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Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.