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A.J. Hinch Reveals Adjustment Tigers Should Have Made Sooner
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- A.J. Hinch Reveals Adjustment Tigers Should Have Made Sooner
The Detroit Tigersinvested $115 million in Framber Valdezexpecting him to become a dominant force in their starting rotation, but his first season in Detroit didn't go according to plan. Now, manager A.J. Hinchhas acknowledged that the organization might have waited too long to make an adjustment that ultimately helped the veteran left-hander finish 2026 on a much stronger note.
Valdez posted a 4.03 ERA across 31 starts, falling short of the expectations surrounding his arrival from the Houston Astros. However, his improvement during September suggests the Tigers may have discovered a formula that could help him return to form in 2027.
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The most revealing part of Hinch's recent comments wasn't simply that Detroit found something that worked. It was his acknowledgment that the Tigers could have made the change sooner.
Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch walks off the field after a pitching change against Minnesota Twins during the seventh inning
Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch walks off the field after a pitching change against Minnesota Twins during the seventh inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
A.J. Hinch Admits Tigers Were Slow to Adjust Framber Valdez's Approach
One of Valdez's biggest problems throughout the 2026 season was his inability to consistently navigate the opening inning. Opponents frequently attacked him early, forcing Detroit to play from behind before its expensive starting pitcher could settle into a rhythm.
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According to Jason Beck of MLB.com , Valdez finished with a troubling 6.75 first-inning ERA, the fifth-highest among qualified Major League pitchers. Opposing hitters also batted .318 against him in opening innings, the second-highest mark in that group.
Those numbers exposed a significant weakness for a pitcher who traditionally relies on his sinker and curveball to generate weak contact. As the season progressed, the Tigers began looking for ways to make Valdez less predictable, particularly during his first trip through an opposing lineup.
Hinch acknowledged that Detroit experimented with Valdez's pregame preparation and pitch selection, including an increased emphasis on establishing his breaking ball early. Rather than allowing opposing hitters to anticipate his signature sinker, the Tigers wanted him to show a more varied approach from the beginning.
"We didn't really push the adjustment maybe as quickly as we [could]," Hinch acknowledged in comments reported by MLB.com . "Once we did, we did see a run of success for him."
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That admission is particularly noteworthy considering how much Detroit invested in Valdez during the offseason. The Tigers weren't simply trying to help an inexperienced pitcher find his footing. They were attempting to get an established veteran back to the level that made him one of baseball's most dependable starters.
Framber Valdez's September Numbers Tell a Different Story
The Tigers' adjustments eventually produced encouraging results, particularly over Valdez's final four starts of the season. After struggling with consistency for much of the summer, the veteran left-hander finished September with a 1.93 ERA.
That improvement wasn't simply the result of better luck, as Detroit made noticeable changes to his pitching approach. Valdez shifted his positioning toward the middle of the pitching rubber and began relying more heavily on his curveball while incorporating additional four-seam fastballs.
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During those four September starts, Valdez threw curveballs 38 percent of the time compared with 35.2 percent sinkers. That represented a meaningful change for a pitcher whose identity had long been built around generating ground balls with his sinking fastball.
The results suggest that Valdez benefited from making opposing hitters account for multiple pitches rather than allowing them to sit on one offering. His September success provides a potential blueprint for Detroit's pitching staff to build upon during spring training.
Still, four starts represent a relatively small sample, and there is no guarantee those adjustments will produce identical results over an entire season. What matters is that the Tigers discovered something that appeared to work after months of inconsistent performance.
MLB: Washington Nationals at Detroit Tigers
Sep 23, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) pitches in first inning against the Washington Nationals at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
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Scott Harris Believes Valdez Can Be Better
Despite the frustrations surrounding Valdez's first year in Detroit, president of baseball operations Scott Harrishasn't lost confidence in the veteran left-hander. During the organization's season-ending press conference, Harris emphasized Valdez's durability while acknowledging that the Tigers need to help him perform more consistently.
As we previously reported following Harris' comments about Valdez's first Tigers season , the organization views his ability to consistently take the mound as an important part of his value. Valdez made 31 starts and pitched 174 innings , providing stability while injuries and trades dramatically changed Detroit's rotation.
His overall production wasn't what the Tigers envisioned when they signed him, but his availability carried significance for a pitching staff that spent much of the season searching for dependable innings. Harris also believes the mechanical changes made late in the year could help Valdez return to the form he demonstrated in Houston.
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That belief is important because Detroit's rotation will look considerably different next season. With Tarik Skubaland Casey Mizeno longer in the organization, Valdez is positioned to take on an even larger leadership role alongside developing pitchers such as Jackson Jobe, Troy Meltonand River Ryan.
The Tigers cannot afford another season in which their highest-paid starting pitcher spends months searching for consistency. If Detroit expects to return to postseason contention, Valdez must become more than an innings producer. He needs to give Hinch a legitimate chance to win nearly every time he takes the mound.
Tigers Need Their $115 Million Investment to Deliver
Detroit's decision to sign Valdez represented a significant financial commitment, one that reflected the organization's belief it was ready to compete immediately. As we previously detailed when examining how A.J. Hinch helped bring Valdez to Detroit , the manager's relationship with his former Houston pitcher played an important role in the recruitment process.
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That history makes Hinch's latest acknowledgment especially interesting because he understands Valdez's strengths better than most managers. The two worked together in Houston, and Hinch knows what the left-hander looks like when his sinker, curveball and overall approach are working effectively.
One of Detroit's challenges in 2027 will be determining whether the September version of Valdez can become the standard rather than the exception. His 1.93 ERA over his final four outings offered an encouraging glimpse, but the Tigers will need to see that improvement sustained against a variety of opponents.
The first inning should be an obvious priority, especially after Valdez repeatedly allowed opposing offenses to gain early momentum. Detroit's coaching staff must also continue evaluating whether his adjusted pitch mix helps him generate the ground balls that have been so important to his success.
There is reason for optimism, but the organization must resist assuming the problem has already been solved. Valdez's strong finish creates a starting point for offseason preparation, not proof that every issue from 2026 has disappeared.
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Hinch's Admission Creates an Important Question for 2027
The most encouraging development for the Tigers is that Valdez finished the season looking more like the pitcher Detroit expected when it committed $115 million to him. His improved command of the strike zone, increased curveball usage and stronger results during September suggest there is a path toward a more productive second season.
However, Hinch's admission that Detroit might have delayed making those adjustments also raises a fair question about how the organization evaluates and responds to struggling veterans. When an experienced pitcher continues encountering the same problems, identifying the necessary changes quickly becomes just as important as discovering the right solution.
For a Tigers team coming off a disappointing 76-86 season , those details matter considerably. Detroit cannot afford to spend another summer waiting for one of its most important pitchers to rediscover the effectiveness that made him such an attractive free-agent addition.
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Hinch and his staff now have an entire offseason to build on the progress Valdez made during September. The challenge will be turning that late-season improvement into a consistent approach that works from his first pitch of the season to his last.
The Tigers may have discovered the adjustment that can unlock a better version of Framber Valdez, but A.J. Hinch's comments suggest they should have found it sooner.If Detroit wants to compete in 2027, making the right adjustments will be important, but making them before another season slips away might matter even more.
