Sports reporter Jeff Passan from ESPN states that southpaw pitcher Framber Valdez has reached a three-year, $115 million deal with the Detroit Tigers organization.
This agreement represents the highest annual average value ever achieved by a left-handed pitcher and also by a Latin American pitcher, as reported by Passan.
This outstanding ex-Houston Astros hurler was considered the top starting pitcher still available among free agents.
Valdez provided a consistent, durable performance for the Houston Astros throughout the 2025 regular season. Across 31 appearances as a starter, he achieved a 13-11 win-loss record and posted a 3.66 earned run average across 192 innings on the mound. He fanned 187 opposing hitters against 68 walks, leading to a 1.24 walks plus hits per inning pitched.
The pitcher completed two games entirely and upheld his image as a robust player, having pitched a minimum of 175 innings for the fourth consecutive season. Despite his ERA being 24th in the league and his victories tying for 12th among eligible pitchers, he consistently delivered reliable starts, surrendering two or fewer earned runs in 18 of his appearances and achieving five games where he struck out at least 10 batters.
Known for his ability to generate ground balls, Valdez consistently prompted weak contact from hitters over the season; however, a challenging period late in the year played a role in the Astros failing to reach the postseason for almost ten years. His performance that season added to his dependable history with Houston, where he served as a crucial part of the starting rotation.
In summary, Valdez’s professional career up to and including 2025 comprises eight seasons in Major League Baseball, exclusively with the Astros. During this time, he appeared in 188 contests (starting 166 of them), accumulating an 81-52 win-loss record and a 3.36 ERA across 1,080.2 innings pitched, alongside 1,053 strikeouts and a 1.20 WHIP. He was chosen for two All-Star teams, was instrumental in their 2022 World Series victory (recording a 1.44 ERA during the playoffs), and has been recognized as one of the league’s most reliable southpaw starters since becoming a regular in the rotation in 2020.
