MLB News Roundup
On the eve of the Detroit Tigers’ arbitration verdict with star pitcher Tarik Skubal, the team decided to go out and make a splash, further bolstering their rotation by picking up the best free agent pitcher on the market. For three years and $115 million, Framber Valdez is no longer a Houston Astro. He’ll be reuniting with his old manager, AJ Hinch, in Detroit, and joining a Tigers team that was only an inning away from the ALCS last season. History was also made with this deal. According to Jeff Passan, the contract will feature the highest AAV ever given to a lefty handed pitcher. The previous record was held by Blake Snell (or as I like to call him: the American Wei-En Lin)
So what does this all mean for the Skubal situation?
Well, the $13 million difference between him and the Tigers has me anxiously anticipating today’s possible verdict. Will Detroit be forced to pay the man what he’s worth? Or will they get away with lowballing him for yet another season? Time will tell, but this Valdez deal really has me fascinated. I can’t be the only one who sees it as a bit of a slap in the face. Yes, they might be thinking of the looming lockout, but consider everything Skubal has done for the squad. This isn’t Doug Fister holding onto his 2011 second half here, this is arguably the best pitcher in baseball. The man’s been impossible to hit for the majority of his career. There’s a reason this arbitration case has been getting so much media coverage.
Oh what I would do to be present for today’s hearing. Do you think the Tigers will bring up Shea Langelier’s go-ahead grand slam? I can send them the youtube link if it’ll add a little drama to the mix. All jokes aside, I do feel for Skubal. I mean, no, I don’t know what it’s like to feel as if you’ve earned $32 million dollars, but I am familiar with the feeling of being undervalued. On top of that, this all complicates an already fractured relationship. Not only are the Tigers downplaying Skubal’s worth, they’re basically pointing to Framber and saying “You’re just not worth THAT much.”
If this is the domino that eventually leads the Cy Young winner to the Dodgers, I’m going to lose it. I mean, they’ve already picked up Cole Irvin! How many lefties do they need?
Speaking of lefties, I saw this neat little set of spray charts I’d like to share with you all…
Once you get past the user’s hurtful handle, you’ll find that they are highlighting one of the strongest qualities of our young core. The A’s are a team that not only hits, but does so to all parts of the field. Watching where Nick Kurtz put the ball during his 4-HR homer game was a microcosm of this. His spray chart here further drives the point home.
And it’s not like we’re really squeezing the lemon wit this one. 86 home runs and 104 extra base hits were collected between just these four players. Can you imagine the guessing game they must have given other teams when it came to defensive positioning?
As someone who attended a grip of games in West Sac, their tendency for the oppo was a trait I noticed early on. My fantasy out of the gate saw A’s lefties swatting taters into the berm by the inning. But as the season unfolded, it became apparent to me, that the opposite field was the more desired place to mash. I wonder if this is something the coaches have been hammering in them? Good on them if they are, because these players are still in the early stages of their careers. Now is the time to be developing good habits, not giving into the low hanging fruit that comes with playing in a little league ballpark. Chances are Las Vegas won’t be subjected to the Yankee Stadium treatment. When you can’t bank on a short porch, you might as well get used to poking the ball the other way.
Thinking back on last season, there was really only one guy on the opening day roster that came off a little berm-crazy. That player was JJ Bleday, and look where he ended up? Him and his torpedo bat swung their way right off the A’s roster. He’s currently getting ready to suit up for Cincinnati (the team I assume @Redsinfour will be cheering for at the start of the 2026 season).
A’s Coverage:
- A’s Announce 2026 Sacramento Promotional Schedule
- Athletics Sign Jacob Wilson to Extension
- Athletics Community Prospect List: Colome Takes Seventh Spot
- Extensions For Everyone! (Except Kurtz)
- Wilson extension signals shift for A’s ahead of Vegas move
- Managers & Top Front Office Executives On Expiring Contracts
- De Vries (No. 4 overall) leads Athletics trio on Top 100 Prospects list
- A’s Spring Training Report Date, and everything you need to know
- After monster stats as rookie, Nick Kurtz has a new number in mind: 162
- Projecting Nick Kurtz after Rookie of the Year campaign
- Analysts say this A’s outfielder could follow Pete Crow-Armstrong’s breakout path
- A’s Odds of Reaching the Postseason this year
- A’s prospect Mason Barnett has an atypical arm angle and an old school approach
- Blogfather Sabatoges Own Wins Over Replacement Hip (And A’s Stuff)
MLB News and Interest:
- Tigers, Framber Valdez Agree To Three-Year Deal
- Padres adding veteran bat Andujar on 1-year deal
- Red Sox, Kiner-Falefa agree to 1-year deal
- Eugenio rejoins rising Reds at perfect time: ‘It made it easy for me to be back home’
- Detroit Tigers World Series hero, Tigers great Mickey Lolich dead at 85
- Pirates Reportedly Avoided Andrew McCutchen Talks
- Hall of Fame reveals cap picks for incoming Beltrán, Jones, Kent
- Carlos Santana reportedly signs with the Diamondbacks
- Luis Arraez, Giants Reportedly Agree to Contract in MLB Free Agency
- Shohei Ohtani Won’t Pitch at 2026 World Baseball Classic
- NBA, MLB, NHL, WWE, Major Sports Leagues to Join NFL in Wearing ‘USA 250’ Uniform Patches
- Red Sox Trade Jordan Hicks to White Sox
- Why Francisco Lindor, Jose Altuve, More MLB Players Can’t Play in 2026 World Baseball Classic
- Today In Baseball History
Best of X:
A sad day to be a West Sac Andujead. San Diego better treat our beautiful prince well
This was in reference to Joe Lacob’s interest in buying the Padres :/ Glad to see that “heard it from a friend” rumors can still make some ground in 2026 haha
Stickman Nick: The Opposite-Field King
This deserves to be posted up again!
Came across this gem in the feed. What’s even crazier is we only got to see Yoenis Cespedes in THAT A’s jersey for half a season 🙁