The Detroit Tigers signed pitcher Framber Valdez to a three-year, $115 million deal last offseason. He is 32 years old and had an up-and-down year for the Tigers. In 31 starts, Valdez had a 10-12 record with a 4.03 ERA. In 174 innings pitched, Valdez gave up 170 hits and 87 runs, 78 of them earned. He also walked 67 batters and had 135 strikeouts. His WHIP was 1.36.

With Tarik Skubal no longer on the team, Valdez is going to have to be the ace for this team in the 2027 MLB season. He will have two years left on his contract and is going to have to live up to it. Detroit finished 76-86, fourth in the American League Central, and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2023. It was the season-ending press conference for the Tigers on Monday and president of baseball operations Scott Harris spoke to the media.

Scott Harris Speaks Out About Framber Valdez’s First Season with the Detroit Tigers

Harris was asked about Valdez’s first season with the Tigers, in remarks posted by 97.1 The Ticket. He said in his presser,

“The post-mortem on that, a couple things stand out. … We can do a better job of supporting him to make sure that he enjoys the bounce that a lot of these big-money free agent signings get in year two.”

If Valdez does not have a big year in season two with the Tigers, a lot of fans are going to blame Harris for this signing. There are going to be many questions about the starting rotation around him in 2027.

Potential Rotation in 2027

What would the Tigers’ starting rotation look like in 2027 other than Valdez? River Ryan is going to be a key part of Detroit’s rotation if he can stay on the mound. One of three prospects the Tigers got back from the Dodgers in the Skubal trade, Ryan missed all of 2025 after Tommy John surgery and lost time to hamstring injuries this season. Jackson Jobe and Troy Melton are also going to be in Detroit’s rotation, and Reese Olson is due back in 2027 after missing this season following right labrum surgery. Will they bring back Jack Flaherty? If not, Drew Anderson could be another key part in the Tigers’ rotation next season, though that starts with Detroit picking up his $10 million club option.

Trading away Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize has opened up spots for other players for next season. The odds of Detroit signing someone in free agency could very well be slim. Harris said at the same press conference that the Tigers will build through development and use free agency only to supplement the core. Valdez is going to have to be the ace in this rotation next season.