Left-handed starter Framber Valdez has reached an agreement with the Detroit Tigers on a three-year, $115 million deal, sources told ESPN, pairing the top left-handed free agent on the market with a franchise aiming to capture its first division title in more than a decade.
The contract is pending a physical and includes an opt-out after the second season. It was finalized just hours after Detroit concluded an arbitration hearing with two-time reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. If the Tigers retain Skubal—who is approaching free agency and seeking a $32 million salary after the club countered at $19 million—the duo would form one of the strongest front-end rotations in Major League Baseball.
At 32, Valdez gives Detroit a proven, high-volume starter and one of the game’s most consistent winners. Though concerns about his age limited the length of the contract, his average annual value of $38.3 million sets a new benchmark for left-handed pitchers and pitchers from Latin America.
Valdez, a native of the Dominican Republic, enters Detroit after spending his entire career with the Houston Astros, where he built one of the most impressive pitching résumés in the league since becoming a full-time starter in 2020. The signing reunites him with Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, his former skipper in Houston, and places Valdez into a rotation that also features Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize, and Reese Olson, with Drew Anderson and rookie Troy Melton also in the mix.
Skubal’s future remains a central storyline as spring training approaches. While Detroit has resisted trade offers, adding an established ace like Valdez provides stability should circumstances change.
Known for his durability and postseason experience, Valdez has consistently posted ERAs in the high-2s to mid-3s, averaging 3.20 since 2021. His success is fueled by the league’s highest groundball rate among starters during that span, powered by a heavy 94.3 mph sinker, a firm changeup, and a sharp curveball that limits hard contact. The deal makes Valdez the ninth player to secure a nine-figure contract this offseason.
Originally signed by Houston for just $10,000 at age 21, Valdez has silenced early durability concerns by becoming one of baseball’s most reliable arms. Since 2020, he has logged 973 innings—the fifth-most in the majors—and has made only two brief trips to the injured list. The contract, negotiated by Octagon agent Ulises Cabrera, includes a $20 million signing bonus, a dramatic leap from his initial professional payout.
Valdez declined a $22.025 million qualifying offer from the Astros in November, entitling Houston to a compensatory draft pick after Competitive Balance Round B, roughly No. 75 overall.
Since becoming a regular starter in 2020, Valdez is tied for the MLB lead in wins (73), ranks sixth in pitcher WAR (20.3), and leads all starters in groundball rate (62%). He paced the American League with 201â…“ innings in 2022, earned two All-Star selections, received MVP votes twice, and finished as high as fifth in Cy Young voting.
