Framber Valdez Fantasy Stats

Detroit Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez's six-game suspension has been reduced to five games, according to the team. MLB.com's Jason Beck reports that Valdez will begin serving his suspension in Wednesday's series finale against the Boston Red Sox. The 32-year-old southpaw allowed back-to-back home runs during his outing on Tuesday against Boston before hitting shortstop Trevor Story, which caused both benches to clear. No punches were thrown, but the Dominican hurler was ejected for his actions and will now be suspended for the next five games. He will be eligible to make his next start in New York against the Mets on May 13, where he should be in starting fantasy lineups despite his disappointing start to his Tigers tenure. The two-time All-Star has gone 2-2 through his first eight starts in 2026 with a 4.57 ERA (4.34 FIP) and 1.41 WHIP with 35 strikeouts and 15 walks in 43 1/3 innings pitched. The Mets have the worst team OPS (.629) in all of baseball, so it will be a good spot for Valdez to bounce back.

Detroit Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez has been suspended six games by the league and fined after throwing at Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story on Tuesday night, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Valdez gave up back-to-back home runs to Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu in the fourth inning on Tuesday night and then hit Story, which caused both benches to clear. The 32-year-old southpaw was ejected from the contest in what continued a frustrating start to his Tigers tenure. The two-time All-Star is now 2-2 with a 4.57 ERA (4.34 FIP) and 1.41 WHIP with 35 strikeouts and 15 walks in 43 1/3 innings pitched across his eight starts. Valdez will likely appeal the suspension, which should allow him to make his next start, but if the suspension holds, he'll be forced to miss a turn through the starting rotation. The Tigers need Valdez to be better going forward after losing star left-hander Tarik Skubal (elbow) for at least several months, if not longer.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Framber Valdez has offered plenty of value and production in fantasy baseball lately. Valdez experienced an outlier performance on April 8 when he allowed eight runs against the Twins, but he hasn't surrendered more than two runs in an individual start since then. In fact, over his last four games, he has a 2.31 ERA with 6.56 H/9 and 0.77 HR/9. With that being said, there are also areas for him to improve. He hasn't been as sharp in terms of strikeouts and walks. He struck out just one batter over seven innings on April 14, and he walked five batters on April 24. In that aforementioned four-game span of limited runs, he has posted 7.71 K/9 and 3.47 BB/9. As great as it's been to see him pitch deeper into games and limit runs, managers would appreciate more strikeouts to rack up additional fantasy points. He currently ranks #26 among starters in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.

After spending the first eight seasons of his MLB career with the Houston Astros, starting pitcher Framber Valdez signed a three-year, $115 million contract with the Detroit Tigers over the winter. The 32-year-old established himself as one of the most reliable southpaws in baseball during his time with Houston. Dating back to 2022, Valdez has recorded four consecutive seasons with at least 176 innings pitched, 169 strikeouts, and an ERA under 3.70. Across 192 innings (31 starts) in 2025, Valdez posted a 13-11 record with a 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 187 strikeouts. The veteran routinely posts one of the highest ground ball rates among MLB starters, which helps him limit home runs but can lead to a slightly elevated WHIP. Valdez also relies on workload volume to rack up strikeouts, as he posted a middling 23.3% strikeout rate in 2025. Still, Valdez has established a bankable production floor and will also now be making his home starts in a pitcher-friendly environment in Detroit. Valdez profiles as a steady fantasy SP2 heading into 2026.

Left-handed starting pitcher Framber Valdez has agreed to a three-year, $115 million contract with the Detroit Tigers, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Valdez was viewed as the top free agent starting pitcher on the market and will now join a rotation that features the two-time reigning AL Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal. Passan noted that this contract features an opt-out following the second season. The southpaw has spent his entire eight-year MLB career with the Houston Astros. Last summer, the 32-year-old logged 192 innings to the tune of a 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and a 187:68 K:BB. Since 2022, the left-hander has been one of the most consistent workhorses in the sport, logging at least 190 innings in three of the four seasons. During this four-year stretch, Valdez has posted an overall 3.21 ERA with a strong 1.16 WHIP. While his strikeout upside is limited, Valdez remains a high-end SP2 in all formats, given his ability to produce high-end ratios while taking on a large workload.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have emerged as one of the most aggressive teams to pursue free-agent left-hander Framber Valdez, people briefed on the matter told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The 32-year-old is the biggest name left on the open market this offseason, and adding him would enhance the Pirates' biggest strength -- their starting rotation, which is led by National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes. The Pirates' new pitching coach, Bill Murphy, worked with Valdez as both a minor-league and major-league coach with the Houston Astros. In addition to the Pirates, the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, Atlanta Braves, and San Diego Padres have been linked to Valdez this offseason. The 32-year-old southpaw would give the Bucs not only another strong arm but plenty of experience and durability, as he's just one of five pitchers to throw at least 900 innings in the last four seasons.

The Toronto Blue Jays remain interested in signing free-agent starting pitcher Framber Valdez, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Valdez remains the top arm on the market with spring training just a couple of weeks away. He posted double-digit wins and at least 22 starts in each of the last five seasons with Houston. He concluded his Astros tenure with an impressive 3.34 xFIP, 8.77 K/9, and 3.19 BB/9 in 2025. All the while, Valdez continued to effectively limit weak contact with just 0.7 HR/9 and a 72.9% ground ball rate. He's expected to fetch a sizable contract in free agency, but the chances of him settling for a shorter-term deal increase with each passing day. Valdez also has the qualifying offer attached to him, which adds a wrinkle to his market. Nevertheless, he is an ace who would offer a major upgrade to every rotation in baseball, including Toronto's. The American League champion's starting rotation is currently headlined by Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Shane Bieber, and Trey Yesavage.

Free-agent pitcher Framber Valdez "will probably end up in Baltimore," league sources told Jim Bowden of The Athletic. Valdez remains unsigned and is still waiting for the right offer as spring training approaches, and while he'd be an upgrade to every rotation in baseball, Bowden notes that some teams simply don't want to spend the money on the former Houston Astros ace. The southpaw accrued double-digit wins and at least 22 starts in each of the last five seasons, and he posted an impressive 3.34 xFIP with 8.77 K/9 and 3.19 BB/9 in 2025. He continued to effectively limit weak contact with just 0.7 HR/9 and a 72.9% ground ball rate. His landing spot will determine his exact ADP in fantasy baseball drafts, but for now, he's the #28 starting pitcher in RotoBaller's latest rankings. If he ends up with the Orioles, he'd be the No. 1 option atop a rotation that also includes Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish.

Free agent starting pitcher Framber Valdez remains one of the top players on the market with spring training just a few weeks away. As Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports, Valdez isn't alone in that regard. Other top free agent arms include former Cy Young candidates Lucas Giolito and Zac Gallen, as well as future Hall of Fame inductees Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. Valdez is looking for a new home after excelling as Houston's ace. He posted double-digit wins and at least 22 starts in each of the last five seasons, and he posted an impressive 3.34 xFIP with 8.77 K/9 and 3.19 BB/9 in 2025. He continued to effectively limit weak contact with just 0.7 HR/9 and a 72.9% ground ball rate. It's still unclear which teams are pursuing Valdez the heaviest, but there's no denying that he would offer a major upgrade to most rotations throughout the league. Currently, he's the #28 starting pitcher in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings, but he'll presumably move up or down a few spots once he signs with a team.

Free agent starting pitcher Framber Valdez remains unsigned as the calendar ticks closer to February and the start of 2026 Spring Training. The 32-year-old left-hander has been one of MLB's most durable and consistent starters over the past four seasons. In 2025, he posted a 13-11 record with a 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 187 strikeouts across 192 innings (31 starts) for the Houston Astros. Valdez has been linked to several clubs at various points throughout the offseason and could be the next major free agent domino to fall. The most recent team to reportedly show interest in Valdez is the Toronto Blue Jays, who have been one of the winter's most active teams. However, Toronto recently lost infielder Bo Bichette to the New York Mets and missed out on outfielder Kyle Tucker, to whom they reportedly made a sizable offer, to the Los Angeles Dodgers. As a result, the Blue Jays could have money to spend on Valdez. If he lands in Toronto, Valdez would be in a good spot to record his sixth consecutive season with double-digit wins. He currently holds an average draft position of pick 89 in traditional rotisserie scoring fantasy leagues and could see his ADP rise once he finds a home.