The Detroit Tigers shelled out a massive $115 million for Framber Valdez, expecting him to be an absolute ace in their starting rotation. But his first season in Detroit, 2026, was a total bust compared to those sky-high expectations. Now, manager A.J. Hinch has come right out and said the organization likely dragged its feet on an adjustment that ultimately helped the veteran lefty finish strong.
Valdez’s Early Season Struggles: A $115 Million Headache
Valdez’s season numbers tell a frustrating story: a 4.03 ERA across 31 starts, nowhere near what you’d expect from a pitcher they brought in from the Houston Astros with that kind of investment. What was really killing him, though, was his absolute nightmare in the opening inning. Opposing hitters were just teeing off, forcing the Tigers to play from behind before Valdez could even find his groove.
Seriously, get a load of these numbers from Jason Beck of MLB.com: Valdez clocked a brutal 6.75 first-inning ERA, which was the fifth-highest among all qualified Major League pitchers. And it gets worse: hitters were batting a ridiculous .318 against him in those opening frames, the second-highest mark in that entire group. That’s a huge red flag for a guy who usually relies on his sinker and curveball to induce weak contact. Clearly, something had to give to make him less predictable, especially when facing a lineup for the first time.
The Long-Awaited Adjustment and Hinch’s Confession
As the season limped along, the Tigers finally started messing with Valdez’s approach, particularly his pregame routine and pitch selection. The big change? They pushed him to establish his breaking ball earlier in games. The goal was to stop hitters from sitting on his signature sinker right out of the gate, forcing him to show a more varied attack from pitch one. And Hinch didn’t mince words about the delay.
“We didn’t really push the adjustment maybe as quickly as we [could],” Hinch admitted in comments reported by MLB.com. “Once we did, we did see a run of success for him.” That’s a pretty heavy statement, right? Especially when you consider they weren’t just nurturing a rookie; they were trying to get an established, high-dollar veteran back to his dominant self. This wasn’t about finding his footing, it was about regaining the form that made him one of baseball’s most reliable starters.
September’s Silver Lining: A Glimpse of What Could Be
Thankfully, those late-season adjustments finally paid off. Over his final four starts of 2026, Framber Valdez looked like a completely different pitcher, posting an impressive 1.93 ERA in September. This wasn’t some fluke or lucky streak, either. The Tigers genuinely changed up his pitching approach, and the numbers absolutely reflect it. It just makes you wonder what could have been if they’d made the call a little sooner, doesn’t it?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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