Since July 15, it has become a guessing exercise in which Framber Valdez will appear. Yes, the occasional glimpse of glory may come along — his August 1 no-hitter against the Guardians, for example — but the left-hander’s inconsistency has become noticeably problematic. Before July 15, Valdez posted a 2.51 ERA and 2.80 FIP in 111 innings. Ace-quality numbers, right? However, from July 15 onwards, his numbers have noticeably suffered, with a 4.66 ERA and 4.39 FIP in his next 87 innings.
Whether due to his left calf injury on July 15 against the Angels or something else entirely, it is a fact that Valdez has noticeably struggled in the last few months.