The Detroit Tigers are making a major splash addition this offseason, agreeing to a $115 million, three-year contract with Houston Astros lefty ace Framber Valdez.

It’s a great deal for the Tigers, as they will now have two of the best left-handed pitchers in baseball with Tarik Skubal and Valdez atop their rotation. While it’s an expensive deal, coming in at $38.3 million per-year, it’s worth it.

However, the $115 million isn’t all the Tigers are giving up to land Valdez. As MLB Draft shared on Twitter/x, the Tigers’ deal with Valdez will force the Tigers to lose an early draft pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, and there’s a simple reason why. 

Tigers to lose early draft pick for Framber Valdez deal

“With reports of LHP Framber Valdez agreeing to a deal with the Tigers,” MLB Draft posted, “the Astros would receive a compensation pick after the conclusion of Round 4 (would become No. 137 overall). Detroit would forfeit its third-highest pick in the 2026 Draft (No. 69 overall).”

The Tigers, with their deal to bring Valdez to Detroit, will be giving up an early draft pick, set to be 69th overall, in the 2026 MLB Draft.

There’s a very simple explanation for why this is happening to the Tigers. The Astros, before Valdez hit free agency officially, extended the lefty a qualifying offer.

More: Tigers’ contract details for Framber Valdez make for absurd record-breaking deal

The $22.025 million qualifying offer is a big deal, as the Astros would land a compensatory pick if he signs with a new team, while that new team will be forced to give up a draft pick.

In this scenario, the Tigers will be giving up their third-highest draft pick, which so happens to be 69th overall in the upcoming MLB Draft.

The Tigers extended the qualifying offer to Gleyber Torres, and if he hadn’t accepted it and signed elsewhere, the Tigers would’ve been given a compensatory pick, just as the Astros are for this deal.

It’s not just a costly deal for Valdez from a monetary perspective; the Tigers are willingly giving up a draft pick to bring Valdez to Detroit.

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