Tigers stunning Framber Valdez deal draws pathetic response from ESPN insider

The Detroit Tigers came out of nowhere and shockingly landed the biggest free-agent pitcher on the market after agreeing to a stunning three-year, $115 million deal with Framber Valdez. According to ESPN insider Jeff Passan, Valdez's deal contains an opt out after 2027 and the $38.3 million AAV is the largest ever for a left-handed pitcher.

But Passan's collegue Buster Olney couldn't help himself and used the Valdez deal as an opportunity to take a shot at the Tigers' organization. Olney took to X (formerly Twitter) after confirmation of the signing to write, "Assuming Framber Valdez passes his physical, the Tigers will be paying him twice as much as they offered two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal in arbitration."

Congratulations, Buster. You've just defined how the arbitration process works. How soon you — and so many members of the media — forget that Skubal took home $10.15 million last season while Jack Flaherty earned $25 million. That's more than twice as much as the reigning Cy Young Award-winner was making. Where was the outcry then? Oh, it didn't fit your narrative, so that makes it okay, right?

The Tigers should be celebrated for signing Framber Valdez, not shamed for Tarik Skubal's arbitration

There's certainly a case to be made that Detroit could have (and probably should have) offered Skubal more than the $19 million they put forth ahead of the arbitration deadline. But arbitration and free agency are two entirely different animals.

The Tigers, much like 25 or more teams throughout Major League Baseball, operate on a budget. Detroit doesn't function like the Miami Marlins or Cleveland Guardians, both of whom are prepared to spend less than $100 million on player salaries in 2026. But they're not throwing caution to the wind like Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets; two franchises whose absurd deferrals are making a mockery of MLB's salary structure.

Where was the outrage in 2019 when Washington Nationals infielder Ryan Zimmerman was making $18 million while posting a .736 OPS and his teammate Juan Soto had .923 OPS and led the Nats to the World Series? What about Jason Heyward making $21 million while hitting .230/.306/.325 for the Chicago Cubs in 2016 only to watch his teammate Kris Bryant win the NL MVP while earning the league minimum?

This is how arbitration works, and Buster knows that better than anybody. Yet he's choosing to shame the Tigers for signing a player that gives them a chance to actually win the World Series while Skubal's salary remains somewhat manageable. There's nothing wrong with that. If Detroit didn't have $24 million tied up in Javier Báez, you'd probably see the Tigers making even more moves this offseason.

Signing Valdez was a win-now move for Detroit, and it should be celebrated, not chastised. So if you're a Tigers fan, stop listening to all the Skubal propaganda espoused from the mouths of pundits and so-called experts.

Hey Buster, rather than attacking the Tigers, go ask the New York Yankees why they're trying to run it back with a team that fell apart in the postseason. Or, go criticize the Boston Red Sox for continually missing out on infield help only to sign Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Meanwhile, we'll be chasing a championship in Detroit.