The Detroit Tigers have agreed to a three-year, $115 million contract with left-hander Framber Valdez, pairing him with Tarik Skubal to form what projections deem the best 1-2 starting rotation punch in baseball for 2026. This move comes after a disappointing postseason exit last October and aims to elevate the team's expectations. FanGraphs' depth chart projects the duo to combine for 9.9 fWAR, the highest among all rotations.
The Detroit Tigers made waves in the offseason by signing free-agent left-hander Framber Valdez to a three-year, $115 million deal on Wednesday. This acquisition positions Valdez alongside ace Tarik Skubal, creating a formidable top of the rotation that MLB.com ranks as the No. 1 1-2 punch for the 2026 season based on FanGraphs' projections.
Skubal, the two-time defending American League Cy Young Award winner, dominated in 2025 with 6.6 WAR, leading all pitchers. He improved upon his 2024 performance, posting a lower ERA and FIP while boosting his strikeout rate. Projections have him at 6.3 fWAR for 2026. Valdez, meanwhile, adds significant value with a projected 3.6 fWAR. Since 2022, only four pitchers have accumulated more WAR than Valdez, who has logged the second-most innings in that span. His top-20 ERA of 3.21 and FIP of 3.29 are bolstered by a heavy sinker that induces ground balls. With 16 career playoff starts, Valdez brings postseason experience to a Tigers team eager to rebound from last October's crushing exit.
"Detroit was always going to be near the top of this list, because Skubal is just that good," wrote MLB.com's Jared Greenspan. "But the addition of Valdez is really the story here... This duo is as battle-tested as any 1-2 punch out there."
The Tigers' 9.9 combined fWAR edges out the Boston Red Sox's Garrett Crochet and Sonny Gray at 9.5, and the Philadelphia Phillies' Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo at 8.3. Within the AL Central, only the Kansas City Royals' Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic crack the top 10 at No. 8 with 6.7 fWAR. This signing underscores Detroit's ambition to contend in 2026.