Tigers Need Framber Valdez to Stop Their Season From Spiraling
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The Detroit Tigers return home Monday night, desperately needing something to change after one of their worst stretches of the year. The Tigers have lost five consecutive games and eight of their last nine games, following Sunday's 11-7 loss to the Kansas City Royals.
Detroit now sits at 61-69 and 3.5 games behind the final American League Wild Card position, according to MLB's standings. The club will not receive an easy opportunity to stop the slide, either, with the Tampa Bay Rays arriving at Comerica Park.
That puts plenty of pressure on Framber Valdez.
The Tigers will send Valdez to the mound Monday against Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen. Valdez enters with an 8-8 record and a 4.35 ERA, while Rasmussen has gone 13-5 with a 3.01 ERA.
Valdez Has Struggled at the Wrong Time
Detroit needs its veteran left-hander to stabilize a rotation that has changed dramatically during the second half. Valdez, however, has not been at his best recently.
He has posted a 6.35 ERA across his last 11.1 innings entering Monday's game. The Tigers still won his previous outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but Valdez surrendered five runs, four earned, across 5.2 innings in an 8-5 victory.
That type of performance becomes harder to survive when Detroit's margin for error has essentially disappeared. The Tigers have watched their playoff position change dramatically in less than a week.
Detroit does not have the luxury of waiting several games for somebody else to stop the slide. Valdez gets the first opportunity.
Tigers Need Their Veteran to Become a Stopper
The Rays represent a significant challenge despite entering Monday in a recent slump. Tampa Bay still owns one of the best records in the American League and has performed particularly well against AL Central opponents, according to MLB's expanded standings.
The Tigers know they can beat this team. Detroit swept Tampa Bay in three games earlier this year, with MLB.com detailing the series-clinching victory.
Detroit was trying to build momentum during that first meeting. The Tigers are now trying to prevent their playoff hopes from slipping away completely.
Valdez does not need to throw a shutout Monday night, but Detroit needs innings, command, and a chance for its offense to win the game. The Tigers brought the veteran left-hander in to provide experience and stability, and there may not be a better moment for him to show it.
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