Framber Valdez
#59 SP · Tigers
All-MLB 2nd Team '24All-MLB Second Team '24All-MLB 1st Team '22All-MLB First Team '22
Height
5'11"
Weight
230 lbs
Age
32
College
N/A
Experience
8 yrs
Bats/Throws
R/L
C+
A-
D
N/A
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The Verdict on Framber, in One Read
On the field, Framber Valdez grades out as an excellent SP for Tigers (A- Performance). That places him 36th of 250 graded starting pitchers. The contract is harder to defend: the Contract Value Index calls it fairly priced (C+), with the cost outrunning the output. The public read is negative (D Sentiment), drawn from current news and social signal rather than the box score.
Career StatsA-
| Year | Team | GP | ERA | W-L | K | WHIP | IP | SV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 200 | 3.4249637 | 83-56 | 1107 | 1.2104499 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2026 | | 13 | 4.21 | 3-4 | 59 | 1.32 | 72.2 | 0 |
| 2025 |
Current Contract
Length
3 years
Total Value
$115.0M
Guaranteed
$69.0M
AAV
$38.3M/yr
Guaranteed %60%
Performance Analysis
A-
FCA+
Framber Valdez's performance grade lands at A-, capturing how he stacks up at SP this season. The 32-year-old established veteran is pitching at ace-level production, validated by his All-MLB First Team recognition in 2022 and All-MLB Second Team selection in 2024—credentials that justified Detroit's aggressive three-year, $115M pursuit of him over Minnesota. His 2026 season shows 59 strikeouts across 13 games, demonstrating he's actively contributing to a Tigers rotation that has navigated multiple injuries to key arms; his durability in that injury context matters significantly given the roster churn Detroit has executed since late May. The recent controversy surrounding his five-game suspension for intentionally throwing at Boston adds operational friction to what is otherwise a dominant skill set—his strikeout rate speaks to dominant stuff, though questions about command consistency (hinted at in recent coverage of his ground-ball tendencies) suggest room for refinement. With 4.5 months remaining in the regular season and Detroit sitting 26-39, Valdez is operating in a rotation where his ace-caliber performance is one of the organization's few clear strengths, making his execution and discipline on the mound both a competitive necessity and a narrative flashpoint for the franchise's second half.
Contracts in the Same Value Band
Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the C band — a quick read on where Framber's contract sits relative to comparable money.
How Framber Compares at the Position
Framber Valdez ranks 36th of 250 graded starting pitchers by performance. That slots Framber between Alek Manoah (A-) just ahead and Logan Gilbert (A-) just behind.
Graded higher
Alek ManoahAngelsA-Nathan EovaldiRangersA-Hunter BrownAstrosA-Framber ValdezA-
Graded lower
Logan GilbertMarinersRecent Games
| Date | OPP | Result | AB | H | R | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 6/5 | vs SEA | W 7-3 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
| Sat, 5/30 | @ CHW | L 1-7 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
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About this player
Framber Valdez is a veteran in his 8th MLB season listed at SP for the Tigers. FanVerdicts covers every MLB player, team, GM, and transaction — and puts your verdict on all of it. Sign in to cast your Fan Verdict on Framber Valdez, see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts also brings its own read — performance, sentiment, and Contract Value Index — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index C+, Performance A-, Sentiment D.
The crowd's Fan Verdict moves in real time as fans vote on this profile. FanVerdicts' own read updates as new data lands — performance recalculates when MLB game stats post, sentiment shifts with media coverage and fan discussion, and the Contract Value Index recomputes when contract terms change. Contract details below show the structure (years, total value, average annual value, guarantees) behind the Contract Value Index read.
For league-wide context, the MLB hub has team rankings, GM report cards, the transactions feed, and live scoreboards. The MLB player rankings page sorts every active player by performance and contract value within their position.
