LAKELAND, Fla. – Monday marked the Tigers debut for Framber Valdez. But as the big lefty sinkerballer took the mound at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium for three scoreless innings against the Braves, he could be forgiven for having flashbacks.
Nine years ago, Valdez was throwing sinkers to Jake Rogers in Buies Creek, N.C., home of the Astros’ High-A affiliate. Both were Astros prospects, with Rogers in his first full pro season.
“We had a really good time when we were together in ’16 and ’17,” Rogers said. “The biggest thing you get asked as a catcher is who’s the hardest guy to catch, or who’s your favorite guy to catch. He was one of the first guys when I got into pro ball that was hard to catch, and it was just because he was so nasty and his stuff moved everywhere. At the time, he would cut some stuff and sink some stuff, and now he’s gotten to where he knows exactly who he is.”
While Valdez was promoted to Double-A Corpus Christi at midseason, Rogers was traded to the Tigers for Justin Verlander at the end of August. Until Monday, they’d only met in the Majors as opponents. Now, they’re a pitching battery again.
“It was definitely special,” Valdez said through translator Carla Diaz. “It was a flashback to [our] Minor League days. To be able to throw to him today was definitely something special.”
Together, Valdez and Rogers made relatively efficient work of an Atlanta lineup that included a good number of prospects around All-Star and Gold Glove catcher Jonah Heim. All three Braves baserunners reached on ground balls, including an Aaron Schunk infield single to third and an error at first base by catching prospect Eduardo Valencia.
Valdez stranded Brewer Hicklen at second base in the second inning by freezing Brett Wisely on a 95 mile-per-hour sinker for a called third strike, then fanning former Tigers prospect Jose Azocar on a big, bending curveball.
After former Tigers prospect Jim Jarvis reached base on Valencia’s error to lead off the third inning, Valdez needed just eight pitches to get three groundouts and end his afternoon.
“Honestly, my plan today was just to throw strikes,” Valdez said. “I felt comfortable with the curveball today.”
Valdez executed the plan well, throwing 30 of 43 pitches for strikes. That included five called strikes and five whiffs, three of them off the curveball.
“It's kind of cool to see him grow from afar, and being able to catch him now is just really cool,” Rogers said. “He's awesome, and I truly have nothing bad to say about Framber.”
Same for Valdez, who said Rogers was the same guy then as he is now.
“Same personality,” Valdez said, without translation.
Rogers knows Valdez faced questions about his relationship with catchers after his cross-up with Astros catcher César Salazar last year, but Rogers said he had no such issue. When Valdez got rolling, Rogers said, he’d be extremely focused.
“He’s awesome,” Rogers said. “Truly he is one of the craziest workhorses I’ve ever seen in my life. He has his blinders on and when he gets going and he’s in the zone, he’s one of the best pitchers there is.”