The Detroit Tigers did not sign Framber Valdez because they expected him to overpower every lineup. They paid for durability, ground balls, and innings. Still, Monday’s 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays produced a pitching line nobody could have anticipated from a starter carrying a $115 million commitment.
According to MLB.com’s Jason Beck, Rays hitters swung at 41 of Valdez’s 84 pitches and did not miss once. Valdez threw five different pitch types, but Tampa Bay put every swing in play or fouled the ball away. That total set the highest mark against a Tigers pitcher without a whiff since official pitch tracking began in 2008.
Valdez Reached a Pitch-Tracking Extreme
According to Beck, Kenny Rogers previously held Detroit’s high during that period when Toronto swung 33 times without missing against him in April 2008. Across the Majors, no pitcher had endured at least 41 swings without generating a whiff since Cincinnati swung 44 times against Génesis Cabrera in June 2019.
Valdez also failed to record a strikeout for only the second time in 192 career starts. The previous occasion came in 2019, when Texas removed him after just two-thirds of an inning. Monday looked different because Valdez survived the unusual contact and completed six innings.
The official box score charged Valdez with eight hits, four runs—three earned—and two walks. He still technically delivered a quality start, but Jonathan Aranda’s sixth-inning home run showed the danger when Valdez elevated a pitch.
Detroit’s defense prevented the outing from becoming much worse. Kevin McGonigle handled nine plays at third base, including several difficult chances created by Valdez’s ground-ball-heavy approach. That support helped him record all 18 outs without a single strikeout.
The Tigers Need More Than Survival
GettyDETROIT, MICHIGAN – AUGUST 24: Jonathan Aranda #8 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates his sixth inning solo home run with Jorge Mateo #9 in front of Dillon Dingler #13 of the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on August 24, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
One strange start does not mean Valdez suddenly lost the ability to succeed. His sinker has always generated contact, and the Rays entered the game as one of the American League’s most difficult teams to strike out. Valdez also limited the damage well enough to give Detroit a chance.
The greater concern is how little margin the Tigers currently have. Detroit collected only five hits and lost its sixth consecutive game, dropping nine of 10. When the offense produces one run, a starter who allows three earned runs can look far worse than his performance deserves.
Valdez fell to 8-9 with a 4.35 ERA, according to the Associated Press recap. Detroit signed him to stabilize a rotation that has since lost Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize in trades.
The Tigers do not need Valdez to become a pure strikeout pitcher. They do, however, need their most expensive starter to create more uncomfortable swings when one mistake can decide a game. Monday’s 41-swing oddity delivered a historical footnote, but it also offered Detroit a warning it cannot dismiss.
Framber Valdez Just Did Something No Tigers Pitcher Had Done in 18 Years