Lakeland, Fla. – Already, it’s starting to feel like a power unit.
Framber Valdez’s first official press conference as a member of the Tigers was about to start Wednesday when Tarik Skubal, Justin Verlander, Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize walked into the room.
It was like a parade of aces.
“That makes me feel great that they take time out of their day to be with me,” said Valdez, through his agent and interpreter Ulises Cabrera. “It shows the leadership that they have. It shows that this is a group. And I hope to be a contributing member of that group.”
So much can and will happen between now and the six-month endurance test of the season, but right now, it’s hard to forecast a better starting five in baseball than president Scott Harris has assembled in Detroit.
“The possibilities are endless,” said Jake Rogers, who along with Dillon Dingler will have the pleasure of catching this well-decorated group. “We’re going to be pretty good. We’re going to be the team to beat and we’re going to have a target on our back from Day One.
“But we want to go all the way and get to the World Series and I think the front office, in signing some of these guys, gave us that extra push. I am truly, truly excited.”
Valdez officially signed a three-year, $115 million deal Wednesday, a move that stunned the baseball industry and excited the Tigers’ fan base. The Tigers then doubled down by signing Verlander, a three-time Cy Young winner, bringing him back to Detroit where he broke into the big leagues in 2005.
The two former Astros, who both pitched for Tigers’ manager AJ Hinch, join reigning, two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, fresh off his $32 million arbitration award, Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize.
“A rising tide raises all boats,” Valdez said. “For them to be here today, they are obviously best in class – for me to be a part of this is a privilege.”
Verlander, who signed a one-year $13 million deal Tuesday, will have his day on Thursday. He went through his workout with the rest of the pitchers and catchers Wednesday but wanted Valdez to have his own media day.
Is the patent on the Fab Five nickname still active?
“I would reject the notion that we were pushing in our chips,” Harris said of the expensive additions. “We want to win. We’re trying to win every year. I think what those moves say is that the organization is on a great trajectory. We’re getting better every year. This is the best roster we’ve had since I’ve been here.
“It says a lot about the investment we have in winning and the impact these guys can create.”
It’s validation of what Harris has said from the day he took charge. That chairman and CEO Christopher Ilitch was committed to supplying whatever resources were needed to facilitate a winning baseball team.
“I think a lot of people don’t understand how competitive Chris Ilitch is,” Harris said. “Let this be an example of it. Not only did we sign Framber Valdez to a $115 million contract, we did it against the backdrop of payroll uncertainty and arbitration. We didn’t know what the result of (Skubal’s) arbitration was going to be.
“But I brought the opportunity to Chris and he said, ‘Let’s do it.’ He wants to win as badly as anyone in the organization.”
Valdez’s three-year deal includes deferred money and an opt-out after the second year. He will earn a base salary of $17.5 million this year, $37.5 million in 2027 and $35 million in 2028.
There is also a $40 million mutual option for 2029 with a $5 million buyout.
“One thing that really stood out to me is the competitive nature of this group,” Valdez said. “I saw it from the other side. I am a competitor and I had an idea about wanting to win it all this year. I feel like this group of guys, from what I saw from the other side, would be a perfect fit.”
Valdez, 32, spent the first two of his eight seasons in Houston breaking in with Hinch. A bond was formed and a home visit from Hinch earlier this month seemed to clinch his decision to come to Detroit.
“It was a tremendous impact for me for a guy of AJ’s stature to come visit me specifically,” Valdez said. “He wanted to communicate what the culture is and explain what they feel I could bring to this team and their plan for winning in the future. It was just overall very impactful for AJ to invite me to be part of this group.
“It was really inspiring for me that he would do that and it was one of the key factors in deciding to be a Detroit Tiger.”
Being able to rejoin Verlander, that was just icing on the cake.
“When I was coming up, I used him as a role model,” Valdez said. “He was a guide for me on how to handle my time between starts and the seriousness he takes into every start. Now, to have the honor of having a future Hall of Famer next to me and guide me at this stage, it’s incredible. It’s a blessing.”
It’s a blessing that cuts both ways.
Chris.McCosky@detroitnews.com
@cmccosky
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: ‘A privilege’: Framber Valdez pumped to join Tigers’ parade of aces
Reporting by Chris McCosky, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
