Framber Valdez stinker makes Tigers' Tarik Skubal mistake look worse

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Framber Valdez. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Framber Valdez's meltdown makes Tigers' Tarik Skubal mistake look even worse

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jul 22, 2026 1:47 PM ET

Why did the Detroit Tigers give all that money to starting pitcher Framber Valdez when they could've paid Tarik Skubal instead?

This offseason, the Tigers signed former Houston Astros star Valdez to a three-year, $115M deal. Skubal, meanwhile, signed a one-year, $32M deal after winning his arbitration case. Detroit probably wishes it had a do-over on that one.

Another terrible Framber Valdez outing highlights Tarik Skubal mistake

Valdez started against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night. Detroit was hoping he would regain some momentum after the All-Star Break. Entering the contest, he had a 5-6 record and had posted a 4.10 ERA, the second-worst mark of his nine-year career.

Instead, he'll likely continue to plummet. Valdez didn't even make it out of the first inning against the Cubs. The two-time All-Star allowed five hits and six earned runs on 42 pitches. He also logged two walks and one strikeout.

carson gets the scoring started! pic.twitter.com/gK2IHlY3SP
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 22, 2026

PCA led off the first inning with a triple and now works a bases-loaded walk... it's still the first inning pic.twitter.com/Bbt7YjJuui
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 22, 2026

The Tigers, unsurprisingly, couldn't dig themselves out of the early hole. Detroit (47-54) lost to Chicago (57-44) 11-2. The club continues to fall further in the American League Central standings. Detroit is now fourth in the five-team division, trailing the division-leading Chicago White Sox (53-47) by 6.5 games.

Now, paying two-time AL Cy Young winner Skubal wouldn't have solved all of the Tigers' problems. However, it would make them feel much better about their future.

The team doesn't even know if he'll still be on the roster by the end of the season. Skubal's name keeps popping up in trade rumors ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline at 6 p.m. ET. He's now being linked to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Even if the Tigers don't trade him, he may leave when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He'll want to go to a franchise that makes him feel wanted, not one that didn't even offer him a long-term deal.

Detroit may have had concerns about the 29-year-old's durability. Skubal missed most of May and June because of a left elbow issue. However, he has rebounded from that injury. Entering Tuesday night, he had a 6-5 record and recorded a 2.83 ERA.

This offseason, the Tigers could've solidified their future with Skubal, one of the best players in baseball. But they instead signed Valdez, which now looks like an even bigger mistake after Tuesday's outing.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

More must-reads: