Framber Valdez Signing Sends Ripples Through AL Central Late in Offseason

This signing adds another layer of competition to the division

Brian Sparks

26 minutes ago

The Detroit Tigers on Wednesday reportedly agreed to a three-year, $115 million contract with left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez, giving their rotation a strong case as the best in the American League Central.

Anchored by two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and bolstered by the addition of Valdez, the Tigers’ rotation features a strong left-handed one-two punch supported by Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty. The group is positioned to give hitters across the league trouble and could influence how the rest of the tightly contested division approaches the tail end of the offseason.






What this means for the Guardians and Royals

The two biggest threats to the Tigers’ divisional standing, the Cleveland Guardians and Kansas City Royals, ranked among the worst teams in baseball against left-handed pitching.

The Guardians struggled against left-handers in 2025. Despite six-time Silver Slugger José Ramírez posting a .322/.385/.511 slash line against southpaws, Cleveland ranked 28th in baseball with a .224 team batting average against lefties.

Similar to Cleveland, the Royals ranked 20th in baseball in team batting average against left-handed pitching, posting a .236 mark. That came despite strong production from Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia, who both hit better than .300 against lefties. It is an area both teams will need to monitor closely as the offseason comes to an end.

While the free-agent market has thinned, especially following the signing of Miguel Andujar, there remain options for right-handed platoon bats that both teams could target. Players such as Starling Marte, Randal Grichuk and Tommy Pham could provide additional platoon depth.






How the Twins and White Sox factor in

Despite finishing at the bottom of the division last season, the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox performed better against left-handed pitching than their divisional counterparts. Minnesota ranked 16th in baseball in batting average against lefties, while Chicago ranked 14th.

The Minnesota Twins finished with a .242 batting average. While they were not among the worst teams against southpaws, Minnesota has done little this offseason. Their most notable offensive additions, Josh Bell and Victor Caratini, are both switch-hitters who struggled against left-handed pitching.

As for the Chicago White Sox, they led the division with a .245 batting average against left-handed pitching in 2025. Unlike Minnesota, Chicago made notable upgrades this offseason, highlighted by the additions of third baseman Munetaka Murakami and outfielder Austin Hays.

The Tigers have one of the most complete rosters in baseball, and adding Valdez to the rotation only strengthens that case. With the Central rarely decided early, the move gives Detroit a clear edge entering the season.

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Young Royals Slugger Drawing Elite Prospect Comparisons

This is an encouraging look for a rising Royals star…

Brian Sparks

Jan 27, 2026

The Kansas City Royals have several promising young players, some working on their path to the majors and others already looking to make an impact at the big-league level.

With the core solidified for the next era in Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino, along with veteran leadership from Salvador Perez, pairing that group with a young supporting cast is ideal for continued success in the future.

David Adler of MLB.com picked 10 players who could be 2026 versions of 2025 breakout players, and one promising young Royal made the list.

Jac Caglianone as the 2026 Version of Junior Caminero

Adler picked Jac Caglianone to have a season similar to the one Junior Caminero had in 2025, emerging as a young slugger who found his swing and produced an impressive year at the plate after showing flashes the season prior.

Caminero was not only a top prospect for the Tampa Bay Rays but was also highly regarded across the league. He made his major league debut in late September 2023 and was recalled in August 2024. He totaled 165 at-bats during the 2024 season, slashing .248/.299/.424 with six home runs.

It was not until the following season in 2025 that Caminero broke out with a significant jump in power and delivered an impressive year at the plate. In 602 at-bats, he slashed .264/.311/.535 with a jaw-dropping 45 home runs and 110 RBIs, a season that helped set the tone for his career.

Caglianone found remarkable success during his time in the Minors, consistently displaying his power with eye-catching home runs and elite exit velocities. That level of performance forced Kansas City to call him up earlier than expected.

He did not find the same level of success in the Majors after being called up in June, slashing .157/.237/.295 in 210 at-bats with seven home runs. Despite the underwhelming numbers, he still flashed his power, giving the Royals reason to believe a breakout could be on the horizon.

Adler pointed to Caglianone’s 77.4 mph average swing speed, which ranked among the top 10 in the Majors in 2025 for hitters who took as many swings as him. He also highlighted Caglianone’s 12% barrel rate and noted a 120.9 mph batted ball recorded in the Minors. The power is clearly there for Caglianone, leaving the next step centered on consistency and putting it all together at the plate.

"Expect Caglianone to slug like Caminero, a similar elite-bat-speed young slugger who only hit six homers for the Rays as a rookie in 2024 but then erupted for 45, also in a friendlier ballpark, in 2025," Adler said.

With promising flashes, more than 200 at-bats under his belt and renovations at Kauffman Stadium that favor a left-handed slugger like Caglianone, 2026 could shape up to be a strong season for the former first-round pick.

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Framber Valdez Signing Pushes Tigers Past Dodgers in Major Category

The Detroit Tigers' massive move sends them directly ahead of the reigning back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in a vital category for success.

Dominic Minchella

2 hours ago

The Detroit Tigers made a massive move last night in agreeing to a three-year deal worth $135 million with former Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez. Valdez joins Tigers manager AJ Hinch, the same manager with whom he came up through the Astros organization, as well as an elite core of pitchers.

As of right now, Detroit has not traded back-to-back Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, who underwent his arbitration hearing the same day the Tigers signed Valdez, which is massive for the organization.

Joining the likes of Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize and Reese Olson as the projected starting rotation, Detroit's signing of Valdez catapults them ahead of the back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in arguably the most important category in the MLB when it comes to being successful.

Tigers Rank Above Dodgers in SP Depth

According to FanGraphs, the Tigers' starting pitching depth has moved into second place among all 30 MLB teams for the 2026 season, passing the Dodgers and only ranking behind the Boston Red Sox.

On top of the Valdez addition, Detroit has Drew Anderson, Troy Melton and Keider Montero in the folds of the depth chart, which is enough to pass the likes of the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki.

Valdez stands out as an elite number two in a rotation led by the back-to-back Cy Young Award winner in Skubal, as he has been a consistent pitcher his entire career. According to Baseball Savant, Valdez ranked in the 97th percentile in ground ball percentage and the 91st percentile in fastball run value.

Valdez is an innings eater, has finished in the Top 10 in Cy Young Award voting three times in his career, and could join Skubal in being a 200-strikeout season type of pitcher. Keep in mind, the Tigers could still decide to move Skubal at any point this offseason or throughout the season, so these rankings should be viewed with that in mind.

The Tigers were projected to win 83 games before Valdez signed with the franchise, and now, following the addition, those projections are likely to go up. Detroit does need some help with the bats in their hands, but the front office is likely to rely on the young hitters coming through in 2026.

The AL Central feels like it's the Tigers' to lose, as they look to become division champions for the first time since 2014.

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Joe little, the sky is falling ,the sky is falling !!!!!!

No. Just awareness month. There's only one place the sky is falling.

The JJ Wetherholt Era Begins for the Cards After Donovan Trade

Following the Brendan Donovan trade this week, it opens up avenues in the St. Louis Cardinals’ roster. The front office’s main intent going into the 2026 season was to make the roster more youthful. With Donovan now in a Seattle Mariners uniform, it is all but certain that the Cardinals’ top prospect, JJ Wetherholt, will be on the Opening Day roster. There has been speculation on where the organization will play the young phenom. Will he start at third base or second base? One thing that is known is that he will not be playing his primary position of shortstop with Gold Glove winner Masyn Winn at the helm. No matter what position he plays, the Wetherholt era has begun for the Cardinals.

The JJ Wetherholt Era Begins for the Cardinals

Minor League Success

There is no doubt that the organization and the fans are excited about Wetherholt’s arrival. The Cardinals took him with the 7th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. He is currently ranked as the Cardinals’ No. 1 prospect in the organization and MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 overall prospect. In 138 games across the minor leagues, Wetherholt has done nothing but succeed. In 513 at-bats, he had a .304 average, a .416 OBP, a .562 slugging, and a .905 OPS. He also had 19 home runs, 79 RBI, and 25 stolen bases. While it is unknown if Wetherholt’s talents will translate to the Major League level, he has proven all he needs to in the minors.

Key to the Future

The Cardinals organization is currently in a rebuilding stage. While still only 23 years old, Wetherholt is a key to the Cardinals’ future. They have been searching for their franchise pillar, and Wetherholt has the skill set to be that. He is a true “five-tool” talent who can play multiple positions around the infield. He may not be as versatile as Donovan was, but the versatility he does have will bode well for the Cardinals in the future.

Now, the Cardinals do not want to rush him into the big leagues. However, as stated before, Wetherholt has proven all he has had to in the minors. The Cardinals thought they had this type of player with Jordan Walker, but it hasn’t panned out with him just yet. They believe Wetherholt to be a different situation. Yes, Wetherholt has gone through a position change, but not as major a change as Walker did. With how the Cardinals are viewing the 2026 season, Wetherholt and other young Cardinals are going to get the chance to prove themselves.

Welcome to the Show

Although it is not official, it should be the general expectation to see Wetherholt on the Opening Day roster. There may be some “growing pains” at first, but that happens with many rookies getting their first chance at the major league level. Even if there are signs of struggle at first, the Cardinals won’t be giving up on Wetherholt. He has the chance to be a real franchise player for the organization. And fans across Cardinal Nation and the MLB world should be highly anticipating Wetherholt’s debut.

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The Cardinals selected Wetherholt, who had been rumored to be an option for the Guardians at 1-1, with the seventh overall pick last year.

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Anthony Santander To Undergo Shoulder Surgery, Out 5-6 Months

By Charlie Wright | February 10, 2026 at 5:12pm CDT

Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander is scheduled for left labral surgery on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. He’s set to miss the next five to six months of action. Santander had a setback in January as he prepared for the upcoming campaign. Toronto hopes to get him back before the end of the season.

Left shoulder inflammation cost Santander two months during his first year with the Blue Jays. A back injury bumped him off the ALCS roster and ended his season. After signing a five-year, $92.5MM deal, Santander suited up in just 59 games for Toronto, including the playoffs.

Santander struggled mightily at the plate when available. He slashed .175/.271/.294 with six home runs across 221 plate appearances. The switch-hitter was coming off a career campaign with the Orioles, slugging 44 home runs and taking home Silver Slugger honors. He remained on the free agent market deep into January before ultimately securing a five-year commitment from the Blue Jays.

The 31-year-old Santander split his time between outfield and DH last season. He made 22 appearances on the grass and 30 at designated hitter. Toronto also threw him out there for an inning at first base. Santander has graded out as an average to subpar defender in recent years. Outs Above Average had him at -2 in 2025, while Defensive Runs Saved gave him a neutral grade.

General manager Ross Atkins told reporters the club is “not significantly” involved in the market for an outfielder following the Santander injury. As the roster currently stands, Addison Barger and Nathan Lukes are penciled in at the corner outfield spots against right-handed pitching. Davis Schneider will be a factor against lefties, with Myles Straw serving as a late-inning defensive replacement. George Springer is set to hold down DH duties.

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Tigers sign Justin Verlander; rivalry with Guardians goes from hot to hotter

Published: Feb. 10, 2026, 5:32 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Guardians and Tigers already have a good rivalry in the AL Central. On Tuesday, it intensified.

Justin Verlander, who won the AL MVP and Cy Young award for the Tigers in 2011, returned to Motown on Tuesday on a one-year, $13 million deal. The contract includes $11 million in deferred money. Verlander will join Tarik Skubal, Framber Valdez, Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize in Detroit’s rotation. Troy Melton and Reese Olson provide depth.

Last season the front-running Tigers watched the Guardians overcome a 15 1/2-game deficit in July to pass them and win the Central on the last day of the regular season. The Tigers flipped the script by eliminating the Guardians, 2-1, in the three-game wild card series.

The Tigers have spent a lot of money this winter to make sure they own the Central in 2026. Skubal, the two-time Cy Young winner, was awarded a record $32 million salary in arbitration for the upcoming season. Before that verdict was announced, the Tigers signed Valdez to a three-year $115 million deal, which helps explain why Verlander won’t receive the bulk of his contract until 2030.

Detroit’s Opening Day payroll is expected to be an estimated $244 million.

Verlander, who will turn 34 on Feb. 20, and the Guardians know each other well. Verlander made his big-league debut against Cleveland, losing the second game of a doubleheader on July 4, 2005.

He has made 58 starts against Cleveland, the most against any team in his career. He has more wins (24) and more losses (25) against the Guardians than any other team.

When the Tigers traded Verlander to Houston in 2017, he used the move to start the second phase of his career. He won Cy Young awards in 2019 and 2022, while helping the Astros win World Series titles in 2017 and 2022.

Verlander, a nine-time All-Star, is 266-158 over 20 big-league seasons. His stated goal is to reach 300 wins.

Last season Verlander went 4-11 with a 3.85 ERA in 29 starts for the Giants. It looked like his tank was finally nearing empty, but in his last 13 starts he posted a 2.60 ERA. The Tigers were impressed enough to bring him home and add some heat to a rivalry that was already running hot.

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Lindor being evaluated for hamate bone injury; surgery possible

1:42 PM CST

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor’s Opening Day status is in question following a left hand injury.

Lindor will be evaluated on Tuesday for a stress reaction in his hamate bone, which he began experiencing over the past couple of days, president of baseball operations David Stearns told reporters on the eve of the team’s first official workout. The Mets will know then if Lindor will require surgery, which would carry a six-week recovery period.

Mets Spring Training Tickets are on sale now!
That would take Lindor right up to Opening Day, though Stearns minimized the concern that his starting shortstop might miss the opener. The Mets begin the season March 26 against the Pirates at Citi Field.

“At this point, even if it does require surgery,” Stearns said, “we would remain optimistic that Francisco would be back for Opening Day.”

Lindor, 32, has been one of the game’s most durable players despite a growing string of minor injuries over the last few years. Over the past four seasons, he has averaged 158 games per year. In October, Lindor underwent a debridement surgery on his right elbow, which will prevent him from playing in the World Baseball Classic. Lindor also played a chunk of last season with a broken toe and battled back issues late in 2024.

Still, Lindor has remained one of baseball’s most productive shortstops, finishing Top 10 in National League MVP voting every year since 2022.

If Lindor must miss any time, the Mets could ask new signing Bo Bichette to fill in at his natural position of shortstop. Bichette had been slated to start at third base. Ronny Mauricio and Vidal Bruján also both have shortstop experience and are already on the 40-man roster.

Senior Reporter Anthony DiComo has covered the Mets for MLB.com since 2007.

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Giants finalize deal with 3-time batting champ Arraez, who gets shot to return to 2B

55 minutes ago

Maria Guardado

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- On the first day of spring workouts for Giants pitchers and catchers, most of the attention focused on the arrival of the club’s newest lineup addition: three-time batting champion Luis Arraez.

Arraez reported to Scottsdale Stadium after finalizing a one-year, $12 million deal with the Giants on Tuesday, giving him a chance to suit up in the black and orange for the first time.

The Giants won’t hold their first full-squad workout until Sunday, but Arraez wasted no time reacclimating himself to second base, a position he hasn’t played full-time since 2023. He is already working closely with infield guru Ron Washington, who put him through several drills on the backfields on Tuesday.

“I think he can help me a lot,” Arraez said. “I’m excited to go out there and work with him. I can’t wait.”

Arraez primarily played first base for the Padres last season due to defensive concerns, but he sought a return to his natural position when he hit free agency this winter. He had multiyear offers from other teams, but he said he preferred to take a one-year deal from the Giants because they were willing to give him a chance to play second base.

“They gave me a big opportunity,” Arraez said. “They trust me. They want me to go out there and enjoy it and play my natural position. That’s why I picked this job here.”

San Francisco reportedly explored trades for the Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan, the Cubs’ Nico Hoerner and the Nationals’ CJ Abrams before eventually pivoting to the 28-year-old Arraez, who is known for his elite bat-to-ball skills and leads active players with a .317 career batting average over his seven seasons with the Twins, Marlins and Padres.

Arraez has topped the National League in hits in each of the past two seasons, displaying the knack for contact that Buster Posey -- another former NL batting champion -- has put a premium on since taking over as the Giants’ president of baseball operations.

Giants' second basemen tied for 26th in the Majors with a .617 OPS in 2025, so Arraez should help deepen a lineup that is projected to include three other talented infielders in third baseman Matt Chapman, shortstop Willy Adames and first baseman Rafael Devers.

“I think we’re all really optimistic about [Washington] getting Luis into a good spot defensively,” Posey said. “He’s the best bat-to-ball guy in all of baseball. You look at the strikeout rate last year. He’s won three batting titles. I know we don’t get as excited about batting titles as we used to, but to win three batting titles by age 28 is pretty remarkable. I think he’s going to fit into our lineup really well. As far as the defense, it’s not going to be for a lack of effort and work on his part and [from] the coaching staff.”

A left-handed hitter, Arraez hit .292 with a .719 OPS and eight home runs over 154 games for San Diego last year, all while recording the lowest strikeout rate (3.1%) among qualified hitters since Tony Gwynn (2.6%) in 1995.

Arraez summed up his approach thusly: “I hate strikeouts. Trust yourself. Trust yourself and go out there and compete. Try to put the ball in play. Hitting is simple. It’s not easy. It’s not impossible. But bro, that’s why we train every day. Be simple and then try to put the ball in play.”

While Arraez excels at spraying the ball all over the field, he rarely posts impressive exit velocities and finished last among qualified hitters with a 16.7% hard-hit rate in 2025. He also finished last year with a career-low 99 OPS+, which put him a tick below league average.

Arraez believes his performance at the plate was hampered by a concussion he suffered in Houston last April, but he said he’s past that and is confident that he’ll be able to emerge as a key bat for the Giants. His contact skills could make him a good leadoff option for the club, but he’ll have to produce enough to make up for his deficiencies with the glove, as he’s tallied -35 Outs Above Average (OAA) since 2023, the second-worst mark in the Majors behind Abrams.

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