Height/Weight: 6-4/254
| Birthdate: 03/24/1978
| Birthplace: San Pedro de Macoris, DR
| Bats/Throws: R/R
| Team: Detroit
| College: No College
| MLB Experience: 10
| Salary: $9,000,000
| Owned/Started%: 91/62 | Average Draft Position: 116.66
Valverde no longer penned in: For the first time since being removed from a game last week because of a back injury, Detroit relief pitcher Jose Valverde was available out of the bullpen on Tuesday, according to MLB.com. Valverde has missed the Tigers' past five games with a lower back strain, but is healthy enough to serve in a relief role for Tuesday's game at Cleveland. The third-year Tigers closer has registered seven saves in nine chances this season. (Updated 05/22/2012)
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 5/25/12).
Fantasy Analysis
Detroit manager Jim Leyland said Sunday he was hopeful Valverde would be able to return Tuesday, and that concern has been alleviated. A year after collecting a save in all 49 chances in 2011, the right-hander has struggled with his command this season en route to a lowly 5.51 ERA after 17 appearances. Still, he should continue to receive ample save chances with the Tigers and is a solid Fantasy option in most formats. (Updated 05/22/2012).
05/23/2012 06:28 Fantasy Relief: Is Chapman finally the man in Cincy?
Is any role in baseball under the microscope as much as closers these days? One wrong move and you could be out of a job. Michael Hurcomb goes over the big stories in his Fantasy Relief.
05/20/2012 16:15 Scherzer K's 15 as Tigers rally by Bucs
Max Scherzer struck out 15 -- the most by a Detroit pitcher in 40 years -- and the Tigers rallied for him with three runs in the seventh inning to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 on Sunday.
05/15/2012 18:15 Tigers win with 8-run sixth inning
Miguel Cabrera, Ryan Raburn and Austin Jackson homered during an eight-run rally in the sixth inning Tuesday and the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox 10-8.
05/15/2012 17:58 Jose Valverde leaves game with tightness in lower back
One out away from picking up the save against the White Sox on Tuesday, Tigers closer Jose Valverde was forced to leave the game with back discomfort.
Jose Valverde, who was a two-time saves champ in the NL, accomplished the feat for the first time in the AL with a career-high 49 saves last year. Even more impressive, he did it in 49 opportunities, becoming only the third closer to put together a perfect season. In the process, he proved he's still one of the game's elite even as he enters his mid-30s. Granted, the signs of decline are there. He battled tendinitis in his pitching elbow late in 2010, derailing what was shaping up to be another dominant season with the Tigers, and though the elbow held up for all of 2011, he lost some velocity on his fastball and averaged less than a strikeout per inning for the first time in his career. But as long as he's healthy and closing games for an expected contender, he deserves the benefit of the doubt in Fantasy. He might get the Francisco Cordero treatment on Draft Day, with some Fantasy owners believing that his mediocre walk rate could come back to bite him as his stuff diminishes, but like Cordero, the stigma will likely just make him a value. If you can get him as a No. 2 reliever, you're in good shape. (Updated 1/5/12)
Actual 
AccuScore Projections) Note: Points are rounded down.
= probable start