Framber Valdez is looking for a fresh start in Detroit, but Tigers fans haven’t forgotten one of the more bizarre moments from his 2025 season – a moment that, fair or not, may have cast a shadow over his free agency.
Let’s rewind to last September. Valdez, then with the Astros, was on the mound against the Yankees when things unraveled fast.
He gave up a grand slam to Trent Grisham, putting Houston in a 6-0 hole. Two pitches later, a miscommunication with catcher César Salazar led to a pitch that raised more than a few eyebrows.
Salazar had called for a curveball; Valdez delivered a 95+ mph sinker – right into his catcher’s chest.
Now, Valdez has been clear that it wasn’t intentional. He apologized to Salazar, and the two reportedly cleared the air afterward.
But in the moment? The optics weren’t great.
There was no immediate reaction from Valdez, no visible concern – just a walk back to the mound. Salazar, understandably, looked stunned.
The two were later summoned for a closed-door meeting with then-manager Joe Espada, and while the team tried to move on, the incident stuck.
Fast forward to this offseason, and Valdez lands with the Tigers. That’s when the internet did what it does best – turning a tense moment into meme gold.
Tigers fans, and even a few Guardians faithful, had a laugh imagining catcher Dillon Dingler’s reaction to calling for a curveball and getting a heater instead. One viral post had Dingler ducking for cover; another joked about the catcher suiting up in extra padding for spring training.
But behind the jokes is a real storyline: can Valdez turn the page in Detroit?
At his introductory press conference in Lakeland, Valdez addressed the incident head-on.
“Obviously it was a moment where I got crossed up,” he said. “It was the heat of the moment.
Adrenaline was going. I did my best to apologize after the fact.
I was focused on the game, to get the last out. But when we got into the dugout I communicated that was my mistake.
Fortunately, we still continue to be friends.”
It’s a measured response – and one that suggests Valdez knows he’s got something to prove, not just on the mound, but in the clubhouse. The Tigers are a team that values chemistry and accountability. This isn’t an organization that tolerates ego, and whether or not that pitch was intentional, the perception of it certainly raised questions.
Now, Valdez joins a Tigers staff that’s looking to take the next step. He’ll be throwing to either Dingler or Jake Rogers – the latter of whom has some history with Valdez from their time in the Astros’ system. That familiarity could go a long way in building trust and avoiding any future crossed wires.
And with AJ Hinch at the helm, there’s little doubt that any signs of discord will be addressed quickly. Hinch isn’t just a tactician – he’s a communicator, someone who knows how to manage personalities as well as pitch counts.
So while the memes will keep coming – and let’s be honest, some of them are pretty clever – the real story here is whether Framber Valdez can reset the narrative. He’s still a talented arm with postseason experience and the kind of sinker that can silence bats when he’s locked in. If he can channel that energy the right way, and build a strong rapport with his battery mates, this could be one of the more underrated moves of the offseason.
For now, Tigers fans can keep the jokes coming. But come April, what matters most is how Valdez performs between the lines – and whether that moment in the Bronx becomes a footnote, not a headline.
