DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers have pulled off a bold, last-minute addition to their rotation by landing the top pitcher remaining on the market.
The Tigers have agreed to a three-year, $115 million deal with veteran left-hander Framber Valdez, ESPN first reported on Wednesday night.
The deal, which is pending a physical, allows Valdez to opt out of the contract after the second year and defers some of his salary.
Valdez, 32, has spent all eight years of his career with the Houston Astros, where he was 81-52 with a 3.36 ERA in 1,080 innings.
Over the last four seasons, he’s been one of baseball’s most reliable workhorse pitchers, averaging more than 30 starts a season.
Valdez joins a rotation with two-time defending Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize and Reese Olson. The Tigers also have Drew Anderson, who signed a one-year, $7 million deal earlier this winter and was expected to be in the rotation, and Troy Melton, who was a key arm late last season.
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Valdez is a native of the Dominican Republic who signed with the Astros as a teenager in 2015. This will be just the second organization of his career.
After some shaky seasons as a youngster under then-Astros manager A.J. Hinch in 2018 and 2019, he established himself in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, striking out 76 in 70 innings. He’s been a full-time member of Houston’s rotation ever since, with his only significant injury coming on a fluke play in 2021 when he was struck by a ball on his finger.
Valdez’s durability is one of his strongest selling points. He’s thrown nine career complete games and three shutouts. He’s averaged 6 1/3 innings per start over the last five seasons. He set an MLB record in 2022 with 25 consecutive quality starts.
But Valdez’s free agency aspirations were hurt by his age. At 32, Valdez was entering free agency later than most front-line starters, which hurt his negotiating position.
While The Athletic projected a seven-year, $196 million deal and MLB Trade Rumors foresaw a five-year, $150 million contract, Valdez had to opt for a shorter-term arrangement that will probably net him in the neighborhood of $100 million when the deferred money (salary paid in future years) is adjusted to present-day value.
Because Valdez was given a qualifying offer by the Astros, the Tigers will have to give up a draft pick to sign him.
Under the complex MLB formula for compensation, the Astros will get the No. 137 overall pick and the Tigers will forfeit their No. 69 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.
The Tigers’ 40-man roster is full, although they will be able to open a spot by placing Jackson Jobe on the 60-day injured list when spring training opens next week.
TIGERS’ 40-MAN ROSTER (41)
Left-handed pitchers (7): Tyler Holton, Bailey Horn, Brant Hurter, Jake Miller, Tarik Skubal, Drew Sommers, Framber Valdez.
Right-handed pitchers (15): Drew Anderson, Beau Brieske, Kyle Finnegan, Jack Flaherty, Sawyer Gipson-Long, Brenan Hanifee, Kenley Jansen, Jackson Jobe, Ty Madden, Troy Melton, Casey Mize, Keider Montero, Reese Olson, Dylan Smith, Will Vest.
Catchers (4): Dillon Dingler, Thayron Liranzo, Jake Rogers, Eduardo Valencia.
Infielders (9): Javier Báez, Trei Cruz, Jace Jung, Colt Keith, Hao-Yu Lee, Zach McKinstry, Trey Sweeney, Spencer Torkelson, Gleyber Torres.
Outfielders (6): Kerry Carpenter, Riley Greene, Jahmai Jones, Parker Meadows, Wenceel Pérez, Matt Vierling.
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