Tigers Rightfully Receive Excellent Grade for Framber Valdez Signing
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With spring training right around the corner for the Detroit Tigers, the team made a blockbuster move to improve their roster.
The Tigers have certainly had an interesting winter with the drama surrounding the contract and the future of their ace, Tarik Skubal. This is a team that has been in the American League Division Series each of the last two years but ultimately has come up short both times.
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While the 2024 campaign and the run at the end of the season might have been a surprise, expectations were much higher in 2025. It did feel like the franchise didn’t do enough last offseason and also at the trade deadline to get over the hump, and that did ultimately hold them back.
This winter, it appeared like that was going to be the case again until they shocked everyone by signing the top pitcher available in the Houston Astros’ southpaw Framber Valdez. Adding the talented left-hander is a move that really changes the outlook for the team.
David Schoenfield of ESPN recently graded the Tigers’ decision to sign Valdez and gave them an excellent grade of an ‘A’.
Valdez Signing is Significant
Due to the uncertainty surrounding the future of Skubal with the franchise, this is a great signing for Detroit for a couple of reasons. The first and most immediate reason is that it improves the team for 2026 in what could be the last year with Skubal on the roster.
This left-handed duo of Skubal and Valdez quickly becomes one of the best in the majors and is not going to be fun for opposing teams to face in a series, especially a potential short one.
Furthermore, while the team is better in 2026, adding Valdez also provides them with some much-needed insurance as well. Skubal is going to be hitting free agency and will likely be receiving a massive contract that simply might be too steep for the Tigers to meet.
If they do end up losing him, they will still have a front-end of the rotation pitcher in Valdez to help lead them. The southpaw has been one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball over the last few years and has a plethora of experience pitching in big games.
Furthermore, at 32 years old, giving him a three-year deal also protects the Tigers a bit from having to pay him a lot of money when he might not be in his prime anymore. Overall, this is a great move by the franchise for multiple reasons, and the grade of an ‘A’ is well-deserved.
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Nick Ziegler is an alumnus of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He has been working in sports media covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL for nearly a decade with various publications online. With his free time, Nick enjoys being at the Jersey Shore with his wife, daughter, and their golden retriever. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @NickZiegler20.