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    Framber Valdez erratic in loss to Guardians

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    DET Starting Pitcher #59
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    Framber Valdez walked five, allowed six hits, four runs, and struck out three batters across 5 2/3 innings in a loss against the Guardians on Wednesday.

    It felt like Valdez was turning the corner, but he just can’t get right. In this start, the chaos began early. He walked Steven Kwan to start the game after being ahead of him 1-2. Then, Chase DeLauter singled down 0-2 and he hit José Ramírez with a two-strike curveball just after. Two runs wound up coming around to score in the first. It looked like Valdez had settled in a bit after that before Jo Adell took him deep for a two-run shot in the fifth. It’s just never easy for him. He’ll take a 4.26 ERA into his next scheduled start against the Pirates before facing the Royals afterwards in what should be a favorable two-start week.
Passan: Lockout and 2027 season both 'inevitable'
Jeff Passan joins John Fanta and Jay Croucher on Fanta in 60 to talk why he believes there will be an MLB season in 2027, who he's taking in Game 6 of the ALCS, the Yankees and more.

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  • DET Starting Pitcher #59
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    Valdez opened with five scoreless innings today to lower his ERA from 4.06 to 3.94, but he gave up three straight singles to start the sixth, with his one out coming because of a baserunning miscue. He was lifted down 1-0, with his ERA sitting at 3.98. However, the remaining runner came around to score off Tyler Kinley, pushing Valdez’s ERA back up to 4.03 to end the year. He also fell to 10-12. The collapse of his strikeout rate this year seems like a bad sign going forward, but at least he did turn back into a very strong groundball pitcher over the last four months. He might be through as a top-20 fantasy starter, but he should still offer some mixed-league value next year.
  • DET Starting Pitcher #59
    On the plus side for fantasy managers, he racked up eight strikeouts on the night while issuing four free passes. All of the damage done against him came in the opening inning on a two-out, three-run blast off the bat of Munetaka Murakami. He blanked the White Sox for the rest of his night, but the Tigers were never able to come back. Valdez got 16 swings and misses on 90 offerings — nine on his curveball — while posting an elite CSW of 38 percent. He’ll attempt to finish his season on a high note as he brings a 4.06 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and a 129/64 K/BB ratio (168 2/3 innings) into Wednesday’s battle against the Nationals.
  • DET Starting Pitcher #59
    The 32-year-old southpaw struck out two batters on the evening while allowing a pair of walks. The only run that scored against him came as Kevin McGonigle bobbled a ground ball with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth inning. Otherwise, Valdez was in complete command. He got 10 whiffs on 90 offerings on the night, posting a CSW of 21 percent. He’ll look to continue his recent dominance as he brings a 4.01 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and a 121/60 K/BB ratio (163 innings) into Thursday’s showdown against the White Sox in Chicago.
  • DET Starting Pitcher #59
    The 32-year-old left-hander struck out three batters in the contest while allowing only one base on balls. The only real threat against him came in the second inning as the Guardians started with two singles and a sacrifice bunt, putting two runners in scoring position with only one out. He was able to escape trouble there though and didn’t allow another hit the rest of the way. Valdez got just five swings and misses on 94 pitches on the night, registering a CSW of 21 percent. He’ll attempt to replicate this fine outing as he carries a 4.17 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and a 119/58 K/BB ratio (157 2/3 innings) into a premium matchup against the Rockies on Friday.
  • DET Starting Pitcher #59
    This was shaping up as one of Valdez’s better outings until Teoscar Hernández hit a two-run homer with one out in the sixth. Valdez struck out five and averaged a season-high 95.1 mph with his sinker. He was averaging 93.8 mph coming into the game, and this marks his first time averaging 95 mph in 13 months. Maybe it’ll prove to be an aberration, but if not, a better September could be on the way for Valdez. He’ll face the Guardians next weekend.
  • DET Starting Pitcher #59
    Valdez gave up eight hits, walked two and struck out none. He fell to 8-9 with the loss. Valdez had recorded at least five strikeouts and picked up the win in three of his last four starts entering play Monday, but he didn’t come close to striking out anyone against the Rays. He threw 84 pitches while the Rays swung 41 times and didn’t whiff even once. Valdez has a 4.35 ERA after the most troubling performance of the worst season of his nine-year career. He’s lined up to face the Dodgers on Sunday.
  • DET Starting Pitcher #54
    Montero had been scheduled to start against the Rays on Monday, but he didn’t recover well after his last start so the team wants to give him some extra time to rest and recover. The club will also push Framber Valdez back from Sunday to Monday, with the team going with a bullpen game in Sunday’s series finale against the Royals in Kansas City.
  • DET Starting Pitcher #59
    Valdez gave up five hits, walked four and struck out five. He improved to 8-8 on the season. One unearned run scored in the fifth inning on a throwing error by second baseman Hao-Yu Lee. With one on and two outs in the sixth inning, Valdez issued back-to-back walks and a bases-clearing double to Nick Yorke, who also scored after Valdez was removed from the game. Valdez has a 4.35 ERA in what has mostly been a disappointing first season with the Tigers. He’s lined up to face the Royals on the road on Sunday.
  • DET Starting Pitcher #59
    The 32-year-old southpaw punched out five batters on the afternoon while issuing a pair of walks. The Mariners did have some traffic on the basepaths behind him, but Valdez got three double plays turned behind him that helped him to evade damage. He got just four swings and misses on 95 pitches on the day, registering a strong CSW of 33 percent. He’ll try to replicate this fine effort as he brings a 4.17 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and a 103/45 K/BB ratio (127 1/3 innings) into Thursday’s critical divisional matchup against the Guardians.
  • DET Starting Pitcher #59
    After forging an ugly 7.13 ERA in the month of July, Valdez got August off to a solid start. He did allow nine hits, but he kept the ball in the park — not an easy thing to do on the road against the A’s — and he was able to strike out six. Even with the strong start Valdez still is the owner of a 4.41 ERA, and it’s more than fair to say he’s been a massive disappointment for the Tigers after signing his long-term deal. There’s time to salvage some of the campaign, however, and he’ll get a chance to back this effort up against the Giants in San Francisco on Friday.

Rotoworld

  • MIL Starting Pitcher #53
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    Brandon Woodruff said he was sitting 90-92 mph while throwing 23 pitches to Brewers hitters Tuesday.

    Woodruff is hoping to be included on the Brewers’ World Series roster after missing the last 4 1/2 months with a shoulder injury. His velocity apparently is back close to the 91.8 mph he averaged with his fastball in nine starts before going down this season. Still, it seems like something of a long shot that he’ll be activated.
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    Orioles re-signed LHP Jayvien Sandridge to a minor league contract.

    Sandridge, a 27-year-old reliever, opened the season on the Orioles’ 40-man, but he gave up six runs in 5 1/3 innings in six appearances for Triple-A Norfolk and then missed the rest of the year, The left-hander has made one career major league appearance, giving up two runs in two-thirds of an inning for the Yankees in 2025.

  • HOU Starting Pitcher #58
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    The Astros are hiring Spencer Medick as their director of pitching.

    Medick, 35, spent the last four years in the Yankees’ system, serving as a Triple-A pitching coach this year. He had a very brief career in the minors in the Diamondbacks’ system, posting a 1.17 ERA in 30 2/3 innings as a Rookie-ball reliever in 2014. That wasn’t enough to keep him around, though, and he finished his pitching career in indy ball in 2018.
  • HOU Designated Hitter #44
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    Sources told The Athletic that the Astros are looking at the Brewers’ Matt Kleine, the White Sox’s Josh Barfield and the Cardinals’ Randy Flores in their hunt for a general manager.

    Chandler Rome says it’s unclear if the team is still considering any of its current assistant GMs — Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey and Connor Huff — for the head job replacing Dana Brown, who was let go in August. Kleine, Barfield and Flores are all assistant GMs for their teams. Kleine previously interned for the Astros in 2007 before being hired by the Brewers and working his way up.
  • MIL Starting Pitcher #53
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    The Brewers might exclude Brandon Woodruff from the World Series roster out of concern that the league wouldn’t allow them to replace him in the event of a shoulder setback.

    The rule for replacing injured players in the postseason is that it has to be a new injury, so the Brewers might be stuck with Woodruff on the roster and unable to pitch if something goes wrong. Woodruff hasn’t pitched since June because of a shoulder injury that was originally thought would require season-ending surgery. If he’s added to the World Series roster, it could be at the expense of Kyle Harrison, who has yet to pitch in the postseason.
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    Yankees SS prospect Dax Kilby went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, a triple, and two steals in Arizona Fall League action on Monday.

    The 19-year-old had an inconsistent first full professional season, hitting .242/.427/.403 in 36 games with four home runs and 12 steals. However, he also had a 35/40 K/BB ratio and showed elite plate discipline. Kilby is hitting .290 with a .964 OPS in Arizona Fall League action and now has four steals. He should begin next season in Single-A, and it remains to be seen what his long-term positional fit is with George Lombard Jr. now up with the Yankees at shortstop.
  • SF Relief Pitcher #73
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    Randy Rodríguez (elbow) threw a scoreless inning in the Arizona Fall League on Monday.

    Rodríguez allowed one hit but struck out two in his inning of work. Perhaps more importantly, he sat 96.5 mph, which was up from 95 mph in his first outing, and he touched 98 mph on the radar gun. The 27-year-old has yet to allow a run in his AFL action and could be the favorite for saves in San Francisco heading into the 2027 season.
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    Cardinals OF prospect Tai Peete went 4-for-4 with a walk, two doubles, a triple, an RBI, two runs scored, and two steals in Arizona Fall League action on Monday night.

    Peete was everywhere in this one. The 21-year-old now has six steals, three doubles, and two triples in AFL action, while hitting .361 with a 1.091 OPS. Peete, who came over in an offseason trade for Brendan Donovan, missed over two months this season with an illness, but finished the year strong at Double-A. He figures to start there again in 2027, but a hot start, paired with his strong AFL results, could lead to a Triple-A promotion in short order.
  • CLE Left Fielder #38
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    Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan could be back on the trade block this offseason, according to Robert Murray.

    Murray reported that many teams expressed interest in acquiring Kwan at this year’s trade deadline, but the Guardians saw a chance to make a playoff run and opted to hold onto their outfielder. Now, with Kwan entering the final year of his deal and the Guardians unlikely to sign him to an extension, the market for him is likely to heat up again. Kwan had a down year in 2026, hitting .282/.382/.349 with three home runs and 32 RBI; however, he was sixth in baseball in WAR from June 30 to the end of the regular season, and some teams may see that as a sign that he is due for a bounce-back in 2027.
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    Junior Caminero hit a two-run homer as the Rays beat the Guardians 7-3 in Game 6 of the ALCS on Monday.

    The Rays advance to their third-ever trip to the World Series with the win. Caminero took Cade Smith deep off the pole with a runner on, and it gave the 23-year-old slugger his first homer of the postseason after he walloped 42 of them in the regular campaign. He seemed to enjoy it, as it took him nearly 40 seconds to round the bases. Let the kids play. The 23-year-old also singled and walked to improve his playoff OPS to .814 over his nine postseason games. Caminero and the Rays will begin the Fall Classic against the Brewers on Friday, and both organizations will have a chance to win their first-ever championship.
    - Christopher Crawford