Framber Valdez takes turn, fails to maintain Tigers’ starting trend originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Framber Valdez took his turn Thursday night at Globe Lite Field. The Detroit Tigers‘ starting pitcher failed to sustain the starting staff’s recent trend.
Over their previous four starts, the Tigers’ pitchers matched a record that dates back to at least 1900, going at least five innings while surrendering two or fewer hits.
Jack Flaherty started the streak Sunday against the Texas Rangers at Comerica Park, going five innings, surrendering two hits and striking out nine.
Casey Mize followed it up Monday with one of the most dominant outings of his career, going seven innings, yielding one hit and striking out 10 against the host New York Yankees.
Tarik Skubal did his part Tuesday against the Yankees. Despite giving up two runs (one earned), the back-to-back Cy Young award winner limited the Yankees to just one hit over six innings, with nine strikeouts.
Rookie Troy Melton took over Wednesday and continued to display his potential, working 6.1 innings and surrendering two hits and striking out seven.
Valdez couldn’t sustain the streak Thursday. Three batters into the bottom of the first inning, Josh Jung and Ezequiel Duran collected consecutive singles. Rangers Elias Diaz snapped the Tigers’ streak with a one-out solo home run in the second.
Valdez’s struggles continued throughout Thursday’s start against the host Rangers. Through five innings, the nine-year veteran surrendered five earned runs on nine hits and two walks. He struck out one.
Starting pitching keeping Tigers on outside of AL playoff chase
Outside of the top-tier of AL playoff contenders, the Tigers continue attempting to rebound from a miserable 6-22 May. Starting pitching and a surge of home runs have helped them recover slightly, finishing June with the league’s eighth-best mark (15-11).
Is it any wonder the Tigers’ starting staff is being scouted as heavily as it is in the weeks leading up to the MLB trade deadline?
Skubal, who is rumored to be scouted by nearly every front office, remains one of the biggest trade chips on the market. Mize is quickly developing into a coveted asset. In their most recent starts, Skubal and Mize combined to limit the Yankees to two hits, one earned run and zero walks in 13 combined innings. They collected 19 strikeouts.
Ending a franchise record Thursday, a Tigers starter allowed more than four runs for the first time in 34 outings, snapping a franchise mark. Valdez’s slow start may have failed to maintain the streak
The Tigers’ starting pitching streak may have ended with Valdez’s slow start Thursday, but they likely will continue to lean on the starting staff.
At least until the trade deadline.
More MLB News:
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- Athletics lose Brent Rooker for season with knee injury
- Rays SP Shane McClanahan providing pitching need as Junior Caminero displays power again
- Cubs need starting pitcher surplus for NL postseason push, pound Padres
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