DETROIT — In the sixth inning of another Tigers victory, Eduardo Valencia lowered his bat head and demolished a 2-2 curveball. The ball went soaring over the left-field wall, over the bullpen and into the seats. Valencia paused and twirled his bat. After so many years where others doubted him, or he doubted himself, there was no denying this one.The home run was Valencia’s fifth of the season. He has appeared in only 16 games in the major leagues. Only two players in Tigers history, Matt Joyce and Robert Fick, have reached five home runs in fewer career games. Valencia has a 1.254 OPS in 44 major-league at-bats, proving the power and impressive exit velocities that finally got him to the big leagues are no fluke.Valencia, 26, helped push the Tigers to a 3-0 victory against the rival Guardians on Thursday. His emergence has coincided with a youth movement that has taken over the Tigers in the days after the trade deadline. In the midst of a tense year, after a July packed with anxiety, this team suddenly feels like it can breathe again. Valencia is a key reason.
EDUARDO VALENCIA SMASHES HIS 5TH HOME RUN OF THE SEASON 💣
TIGERS LEAD 2-0. pic.twitter.com/RfCuaqJQGc
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) August 13, 2026Beyond the big man’s loud bat, Valencia is a beloved teammate, someone who crossed paths with nearly everyone in the organization throughout his uneven climb to the major leagues. He played with Spencer Torkelson and Kerry Carpenter in the low minors. He played with Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark, too.“I played with him last year in Double A, and his journey, even from then, is insane to see,” right-hander Troy Melton said recently. “Obviously, what he’s doing right now is pretty special. He’s such a good dude.”Valencia was first signed as an 18-year-old Venezuelan in 2018, for a mere $10,000. One of his first friends in the organization was Keider Montero, the bulldog right-hander who threw 6 1/3 shutout innings in Thursday’s win. Valencia and Montero played together in the Dominican Summer League. In the first game they played stateside in the Gulf Coast League, Montero pitched, and Valencia was behind the plate.“I know what he’s gone through his whole career,” Montero said. “I know how hard it is. And I’m proud of him.”
