DETROIT – That’s the Framber Valdez the Tigers paid big to sign just before Spring Training.
That’s the Tigers team that fans in Detroit were looking forward to seeing challenge the rest of the American League.
It’s not too late for the Tigers to do just that.
The booming sounds of fireworks downtown Monday night, shortly after the Tigers’ 5-3 win over the Yankees, was a reminder of midsummer’s approach. The Detroit-Windsor fireworks always take place well before the July 4 holiday and the July 1 Canada Day, letting locals enjoy the show before going on holiday trips, but they always sound like a warning that summer passes more quickly than you think.
For the Tigers, that rings especially true. The time to get back in the AL playoff chase is now, not September. With the Trade Deadline looming on Aug. 3, they have to show life now, to give a reason for president of baseball operations Scott Harris to keep this team together and let it play out.
The Tigers are making their case. They still have a ways to go, but they’re off to a good start.
“I feel a big responsibility,” Valdez said through translation from Tigers director of Spanish communications Carlos Guillén. “First of all, they paid what I considered I was worth. And they've given me support, they've given me trust. So what I can do is pull for this team and do my best when I'm on the field, and support and cheer for my guys when I'm off the field.
“I'm doing my best. We've been together in good and bad moments. We're trying to win every single day.”
While most of baseball tries to figure out a favorite to trade for Tarik Skubal, the Tigers have become the hottest team in the Junior Circuit. Their 12-6 record in June is the AL’s best; their four-game winning streak is the AL’s longest.
Monday was Valdez’s turn to contribute to the cause.
“I feel like I’m getting in my rhythm,” Valdez said. “These guys are also noticing that. They’re getting in rhythm.”
Valdez, who went winless in May with a 5.93 ERA, is 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA in June. He has gotten back to his sinkerball ways, inducing seven groundouts on Monday. But more importantly, he pounded the strike zone, recovering from two-out walks in his first two innings – the latter setting up his lone run on an Ali Sánchez RBI double in the second – to retire his final 10 batters in order.
Valdez ended each of his final four innings on strikeouts, three of them on a curveball that accounted for seven of his 16 called strikes and five of his 13 whiffs.
Valdez’s eight strikeouts tied his season high from April 30 at Atlanta.
“It’s a full arsenal,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “The breaking ball is a big part of this, whether it’s to steal a strike or it’s late in counts. Everybody knows the recipe, so to speak. They know what he’s going to bring every day. They’re trying to get the ball elevated. The more strikes he throws and the better counts he gets into, the more effective that curveball is. So as the game went on today, that was a big difference.”
Valdez’s curveball was one of his most disappointing pitches earlier in the year, and it still rates at a minus-4 run value on Statcast.
“My curveball is the one that has put food on the plate for me and my family,” Valdez said, “so I trust it. I've had games in which my curveball was not in the best shape or the best location, but it's part of the game. I've had bad days in those situations. Not today.”
Not even a Dirt Cam delay in front of second base could disrupt Valdez, who beat the Yankees for the first time in seven career regular-season meetings. It came at the expense of an old Astros teammate.
Though the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole is still easing his way back into form, making his sixth start following Tommy John surgery, he has always owned the Tigers – 10-1 with a 1.84 ERA in 14 career meetings entering Monday. The Tigers had never scored more than three runs against him.
Cole seemed on his way to continuing the trend, striking out the side in order after Spencer Torkelson’s leadoff double in the second inning. But Zach McKinstry’s leadoff triple set off a three-run third that included Torkelson’s two-out RBI single.
Kevin McGonigle doubled home Hao-Yu Lee in the fourth inning before Greene crushed a Cole changeup and sent it a Statcast-projected 422 feet to right-center field for his ninth home run of the season and fifth in June. Cole left two batters later, having allowed five runs on nine hits over 4 1/3 innings.