New Face To Pitching Staff Gives Tigers Edge For AL Central Division Title Race
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To say that it had been a passive offseason for the Detroit Tigers this year would have been the understatement of the year, until Wednesday night.
There were few elite players left with under a month until spring training kicked off, but the Tigers made sure to swoop up one of them: starting pitcher Framber Valdez.
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Late in the evening, Detroit landed the left-hander on a three-year deal as reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan. It not only drastically improves their starting rotation but also makes them the best squad in the American League Central.
2025 was a rough year for the Tigers, particularly in the second half. The ballclub not only lost the division, but did so in historic fashion. The Cleveland Guardians swooped in and took the AL Central after being down double-digit games late in the summer, but history is no longer set to repeat itself.
Valdez is not only a two-time All-Star, but has won a World Series with the Houston Astros in 2022. He has performed on the big stage and will bring experience to this Tigers' roster as they fight to contend for a an American League pennant.
After being sent home in back-to-back years in game five of the ALDS, the Tigers have now given themselves an edge, which the ballclub desperately needed this late in the offseason.
Tigers Updated 2026 Starting Rotation
Tarik Skubal: There isn't much that needs to be said about Skubal as the reigning two-time Cy Young Award winner. He will be the obvious choice for the opening day starter after finishing with a 2.21 ERA, 221 strikeouts, and a 0.89 WHIP.
Framber Valdez: This will be the first time Valdez has ever pitched for a team that isn't the Astros, but he slides ahead of Casey Mize and it could be exactly what the rotation needs. In 2025, he posted a 3.66 ERA to complement 189 strikeouts.
Framber Valdez, Detroit Tiger 🐅 pic.twitter.com/xmhgJBUUGm
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) February 5, 2026
Casey Mize: Mize ended up being the No.2 to Skubal last season, but with the addition of Valdez, it seems likely he will slide down another slot. The righty finished 2025 with nearly 140 strikeouts and a sub-4.00 ERA.
Jack Flaherty: The 31-year-old trailed only Skubal in strikeouts after finsihing with 188. His ERA was the concern as it crept up towards 5.00, but if he ends up being their No.4 pitcher and he throws for nearly 200 strikeouts, their pitching staff will be a nightmare for hitters.
The addition of Valdez takes a huge weight off their shoulders as their was major concern with the lack of moves made by the front office in the last couple of months. Now, the Tigers should not have any problem taking back their division crown.
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Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.