Framber Valdez

Framber Valdez delivered a solid performance, allowing two earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four over seven innings in Friday's 5-2 win over the Tigers.

Fantasy Impact

This outing was a typical display of Valdez's ability to eat innings and keep his team in the game, contributing to his third win of the season. His season ERA now sits at a respectable 3.64, with a WHIP of 1.35, which, while not elite, should keep him in the mix as a reliable fantasy starter. The 7.0 K/9 rate continues to cap his upside in strikeout-heavy formats, but his groundball tendencies and ability to limit damage make him a safer bet in ERA and WHIP categories. Fantasy managers should view Valdez as a steady, if not spectacular, rotation option moving forward.

Framber Valdez allowed five earned runs on nine hits and one walk while striking out three over 5 1/3 innings in Saturday's 5-0 loss to the Mariners.

Fantasy Impact

This outing marked a rough patch for Valdez, pushing his ERA to 3.97 and WHIP to 1.41 through his first four starts of the season. The high BABIP of .371 suggests some bad luck, but the low strikeout rate of 7.5 K/9 and modest 2.71 strikeout-to-walk ratio indicate that Valdez might be struggling to dominate hitters as effectively as fantasy managers would hope. His FIP standing at 4.05 also suggests that his underlying metrics are not far off from his surface stats, hinting that improvement might not be imminent. Fantasy managers should consider these trends carefully when deciding on his role in their rotations moving forward.

Framber Valdez allowed two runs on five hits over five innings on Sunday against the Rockies.

Fantasy Impact

Valdez added five strikeouts, while throwing 71 pitches in his return from injury. He is scheduled to face the Mariners next.

Framber Valdez (elbow) is expected to pitch Saturday or Sunday against Colorado.

Fantasy Impact

Valdez completed a 40-pitch bullpen session and is set to come off the injured list this weekend. Fantasy managers should expect him to be a on a strict pitch count in his first start from the injured list.

Framber Valdez (elbow) completed a 30-pitch bullpen session Saturday.

Fantasy Impact

Manager Joe Espada stated that they will see how he responds before determining the next steps. He also noted that it is possible for Valdez to return to the rotation without a rehab start.