Framber Valdez

Framber Valdez Bio

Framber Valdez (born November 19, 1993) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who most recently played for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously spent his entire MLB career with the Houston Astros from 2018 through 2025. Nicknamed “La Grasa” for his distinctive fashion sense, Valdez established himself as one of the premier ground-ball pitchers in baseball while earning multiple All-Star selections and winning a World Series championship in 2022 with the Astros.

Early Life and Background

Framber Valdez was born in Palenque, San Cristóbal Province, Dominican Republic. He began pitching at age 16, showing early promise in the sport that would become his profession. Born naturally right-handed, Valdez taught himself to throw left-handed as a child, recognizing the increased value and opportunities available to left-handed pitchers in baseball.

Despite his obvious talent, Valdez faced significant obstacles early in his career. As a teenager, multiple teams declined to sign him after physical examinations revealed concerns about his ulnar collateral ligament, suggesting he might eventually require Tommy John surgery. These medical concerns led seven teams to withdraw verbal agreements they had made with him, leaving his professional future uncertain.

Path to Major League Baseball

At age 21, Valdez received a lifeline when Houston Astros scouts discovered him after a long day of evaluating prospects. Working with independent trainers in the Dominican Republic, the scouts watched Valdez throw only six pitches in the beams of car headlights as darkness fell. Impressed by what they saw, they offered him a tryout at the Astros Dominican academy near Guayacanes.

Valdez signed with the Houston Astros as an international free agent on March 19, 2015, for a $10,000 bonus. At 21, he was five years older than typical amateur free-agent signings from the Dominican Republic. Following his signing, he made his professional debut that same year with the Dominican Summer League Astros, posting a 4-1 record with a 3.68 ERA over 36 innings.

Framber Valdez Career

Minor League Development (2015-2018)

Valdez steadily climbed the minor league ladder over his first three professional seasons. In 2016, he split time between four minor league affiliates, combining to go 4-5 with a 3.19 ERA across 73 innings. The following year, he posted a 7-8 record with a 4.16 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A affiliates, then continued his development in the Arizona Fall League with the Mesa Solar Sox.

By 2018, Valdez had reached Triple-A Fresno, where he went 6-5 with a 4.11 ERA over 103 innings. His strong performance earned him a promotion to the major leagues.

Houston Astros Breakthrough (2018-2025)

The Astros promoted Valdez to the majors for the first time on August 21, 2018. He earned the win in his debut, pitching 4 and a third innings against the Oakland Athletics. Overall in 2018, he went 4-1 with a 2.19 ERA in limited action with Houston.

The 2020 season marked Valdez’s emergence as a key rotation piece. He went 5-3 with a 3.57 ERA over 11 starts, leading the Astros in innings pitched and tying for the team lead in wins. He earned his first career postseason win in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series, throwing five scoreless innings of relief. In the AL Championship Series, he won Game 6 to help send the Astros to the World Series.

Valdez suffered a fractured left ring finger during spring training in 2021 but returned in late May. He dominated that season, posting an 11-6 record with a 3.14 ERA and leading all major league pitchers in ground ball rate. In the postseason, he pitched eight scoreless innings in Game 5 of the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, becoming the seventh visiting pitcher in history to allow one run or fewer over at least eight innings in a postseason game at Fenway.

The 2022 campaign proved to be Valdez’s breakthrough season. He earned his first selection as the Astros Opening Day starter and compiled a 17-6 record with a 2.82 ERA over 31 starts. He led the American League in innings pitched (201 innings), complete games (3), shutouts (1), and quality starts (26). Most remarkably, he threw 25 consecutive quality starts from April 25 through September 18, establishing the single-season MLB record and the American League record for left-handed pitchers. His performance earned him his first All-Star selection, first All-MLB First Team honors, and he finished second in AL Cy Young voting. Valdez was the winning pitcher in both Game 2 and the decisive Game 6 of the World Series as the Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies, capturing his first career championship.

In 2023, Valdez earned his second consecutive All-Star selection. On August 1, 2023, he pitched the 16th no-hitter in Astros history, blanking the Cleveland Guardians 2-0 at Minute Maid Park. He threw only 93 pitches, 65 for strikes, and struck out seven batters while walking one. It was the first no-hitter in Astros history with the minimum 27 batters faced and the first by a left-hander in franchise history. For the season, he went 12-11 with a 3.45 ERA and 200 strikeouts over 198 innings, ranking third in the AL in innings pitched and leading the league in ground ball rate and shutouts.

The 2024 season saw Valdez post a 15-7 record with a 2.91 ERA and 169 strikeouts in 176 innings over 28 starts. He finished sixth in AL ERA and earned his second career All-MLB Team selection, this time on the Second Team. He also finished seventh in AL Cy Young voting and 15th in AL MVP balloting.

During the 2025 season, Valdez achieved several major career milestones. He recorded his 1,000th career strikeout on July 29 versus the Washington Nationals, becoming the 10th pitcher in Astros history to reach that mark. Earlier that season, he surpassed 1,000 career innings pitched and passed Darryl Kile for 10th place in Astros history with his 974th strikeout.

Detroit Tigers Era (2026-Present)

On February 10, 2026, Valdez signed a three-year, $115 million contract with the Detroit Tigers, joining his new team as the No. 2 starter behind Tarik Skubal. The contract represented a significant commitment from a franchise looking to build around elite pitching talent.

Driving Style and Strengths

Valdez has established himself as one of baseball’s most effective ground-ball pitchers. He throws a sinking fastball at 93 to 95 MPH that tops out at 99 MPH, generating significant ground ball contact. His curveball, thrown at 77 to 81 MPH, has proven to be his most unhittable pitch, with opposing batters managing only a .144 career batting average against it. He also features a changeup at 87 to 90 MPH and occasionally mixes in a slider and four-seam fastball. For his career, Valdez has generated nearly 62 percent ground balls while limiting fly balls to under 20 percent.

Notable Events and Milestones

Throughout his career, Valdez has authored several memorable performances. His 25 consecutive quality starts in 2022 set an MLB single-season record. He threw a no-hitter on August 1, 2023, and came within one out of another no-hitter on August 6, 2024, against the Texas Rangers, losing his bid on a two-run home run by Corey Seager with two outs in the ninth inning. He became the seventh pitcher in history to turn two no-hit outings of at least seven innings in one season.

Framber Valdez Career Wins

Across eight seasons in Major League Baseball, Valdez has established himself as a durable and productive starting pitcher with an 85-57 career win-loss record and a 3.41 ERA with 1,128 strikeouts through June 2026.

Houston Astros Highlights

All of Valdez’s major league wins have come with the Astros organization. His 2022 season stands as his most decorated, going 17-6 with a 2.82 ERA while leading the American League in innings pitched and earning All-MLB First Team honors. He followed with a 12-11 record in 2023 and a 15-7 mark in 2024. His World Series championship in 2022, where he won Games 2 and 6, represents the pinnacle of his team success with Houston.

Other Wins and Performances

Beyond his regular-season success, Valdez has proven capable in postseason play. His 4-0 record with a 1.61 ERA in the 2022 playoffs helped carry the Astros to the championship. He has made multiple Opening Day starts for Houston and consistently ranked among the AL leaders in innings pitched, strikeouts, and ground-ball rate throughout his career.

Framber Valdez Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Valdez comes from a baseball family, with his father José Antonio Valdés Ramírez watching his son pitch in a major league game for the first time during Game 2 of the 2022 World Series at Minute Maid Park. His father had not previously traveled to see him play due to a fear of flying.

Personal Life

Valdez is married with three children. He is naturally right-handed and performs everyday tasks with his right hand, having taught himself to throw left-handed as a child. He is a Christian who donated $100,000 to help build a church in his hometown of Palenque, Dominican Republic. His nickname “La Grasa” (Spanish for “grease” or “fat”), affectionately used in Dominican culture to denote a very stylish person, reflects his reputation for distinctive fashion.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season represented a milestone year for Valdez in his final season with the Astros. He made his fourth consecutive Opening Day start on March 27 against the New York Mets, tossing seven scoreless innings in a 3-1 victory. The season saw him reach several career milestones while continuing to anchor the Astros rotation.

On May 30 against the Tampa Bay Rays, Valdez allowed only one run on three hits over nine innings, with batterymate Yainer Díaz hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to secure a 2-1 victory. That effort tied Darryl Kile’s club record for lowest pitch count in a complete game with just 83 pitches. He continued climbing the Astros’ record books, passing Kile for 10th place in franchise history with his 974th career strikeout on June 29 against the Chicago Cubs.

Valdez reached two major career milestones during the summer months. On July 5 versus the Los Angeles Dodgers, he recorded his 1,000th career inning pitched. Less than a month later, on July 29 against the Washington Nationals, he struck out Alex Call in the third inning for his 1,000th career strikeout, becoming only the 10th pitcher in Astros history to achieve that distinction. His performance throughout the season demonstrated continued consistency as he prepared to enter free agency following the campaign.