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Detroit Tigers move LHP Framber Valdez to bereavement list
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- Detroit Tigers move LHP Framber Valdez to bereavement list
For a brief period, one of the Detroit Tigers ' starting pitchers will be away from the team.
Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez has been placed on the bereavement list, the Tigers announced on Sunday, July 12, ahead of the series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies .
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Sunday's game against the Phillies is the final before the 2026 All-Star break. The Tigers will have four days off before resuming the second half of the season with a three-game road series against the Los Angeles Angels .
The MLB bereavement list allows teams to replace a player for a range of three to seven games if a player has to miss time because of a death or serious illness in the family.
Detroit did not call up a replacement for Sunday's game, rather waiting to make a potential roster move following the All-Star break.
The Tigers' rotation coming out of the All-Star break will be right-hander Troy Melton on Friday, left-hander Tarik Skubal on Saturday and right-hander Casey Mize on Sunday. Valdez and right-hander Jack Flaherty will slot into the second rotation of the road trip against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
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Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said he wanted to maintain normal rest schedules for the pitchers as much as possible over the break. Melton threw a bullpen session on Sunday after taking the last two days off to get back on his regular preparation schedule over the break. Skubal will have five days off between starts, while Mize will have six.
Melton, an Orange County native, will be able to train at his home facility during the series.
"Rather than inconveniencing the entire rotation, we just chose the first three guys to line them up as close to their plus-one rest or plus-two rest as we could," Hinch said.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Framber Valdez (59) pitches in the first inning against the Athletics at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, July 9, 2026.
Will Vest injury update
Vest, a right-handed reliever, has been on the 15-day injured list since July 1 with what was originally listed as elbow inflammation. On Friday, Hinch said Vest was dealing with a stress fracture in his right elbow.
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On Sunday, Vest said he had been dealing with the pain in his elbow for a while and he could no longer manage it, causing his results to suffer. He has struggled with a 6.08 ERA over 26⅔ innings this season.
"It just got to a point where I just didn't feel good," Vest said. "And obviously the results weren't great and kind of hurt the team. I'm glad we figured out what it was."
As of now, Vest is not planning on surgery. The recovery plan includes maximizing rest and waiting for it to heal so rehab can begin. Vest said doctors told him that bone injuries in the pitching elbow are more common in younger players, which contributed to how long it took to diagnose.
"I guess I'm a kid still growing into my body," Vest, 31, said. "I think that is kind of why it was hard to figure out because I don't think it is that common with other guys.
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"I don't know what caused it. Probably pitching."
Vest hopes he can return to the mound this season but knows his control over the recovery process is limited given the nature of a bone stress fracture. Hinch shared that optimism for a potential return on Friday.
But even with a chance at returning, sitting at the bench is eating at Vest, just like it did during his first IL stint this season.
"It is the worst," Vest said. "The first time I went on the IL this year, I remember the first game you go and sit in the dugout before the anthem and you know you aren't playing that day. It hit me hard. You just want to be out there and compete. And when you can't, it is the worst."
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Injured players off to Lakeland
Hinch said every player on the injured list − outside of All-Star Justin Verlander − will spend the four-day break working on their recovery at the Tigers' practice facility in Lakeland, Florida. That list includes Gleyber Torres , Javier Báez , Brant Hurter , Burch Smith and Jackson Jobe .
The injured Tigers veterans will be sharing the space with the newly drafted players , who will head to Lakeland for their draft camp.
More: Detroit Tigers first-round 2026 MLB Draft pick has intriguing arsenal
"The vast majority of our guys that are on the injured list will be there because their program stays the same," Hinch said. "The activity level is the hardest thing because the young kids, draft camp will probably be going so you have literally the youngest of professionals there."
Contact Jared Ramsey at jramsey@freepress.com .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers move LHP Framber Valdez to bereavement list
