The Detroit Tigers dropped a heartbreaker to the New York Mets on Wednesday night, falling 3-2 in 10 innings at Citi Field. But despite the loss, there were plenty of storylines to unpack—some encouraging, some frustrating. Let's break down the good and the bad from Game 43.

One thing I loved: Framber Valdez finally looked like the ace the Tigers paid for.

Coming off what might have been the worst start of his career—one that ended with an ejection and a suspension—Valdez needed a bounce-back performance in the worst way. And he delivered. Over 6.2 innings, the lefty showed off his full arsenal, especially a devastating 12-to-6 breaking ball that had Mets hitters guessing all night. He allowed just five hits and two runs while striking out seven. Sure, he walked two batters, including one in the seventh that kept him from finishing the frame, but this was the Valdez the Tigers envisioned when they handed him that three-year, $115 million deal.

With Tarik Skubal recovering from arthroscopic elbow surgery, Valdez is the de facto ace of a pitching staff that's currently held together by duct tape and determination. Through nine starts this season, he's had five very good outings, two so-so ones, and two that were downright ugly. If he can keep trending toward the "very good" column, it would be a massive boost for a rotation that's about to get reinforcements. Casey Mize (right adductor strain) could return by the end of the week, and Troy Melton (right elbow inflammation) threw a rehab game for Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday. Skubal's timetable remains uncertain—educated guesses range from a June to August return—but in the woeful AL Central, the Tigers can afford to be patient. Provided, of course, they start hitting a little more consistently. And if Valdez keeps pitching like this.

One thing I didn't love: The return of the dreaded "Ump Show."

With all the technology available—replays, ABS challenges, you name it—we thought the days of the plate umpire stealing the spotlight were long gone. Well, Junior Valentine apparently didn't get the memo. The home plate umpire made two jaw-droppingly bad calls on Wednesday night, the first coming in the bottom of the sixth inning. It was the kind of performance that makes you wonder if the umpires are watching the same game as everyone else.

For a Tigers team that's already struggling to score runs—they managed just two runs on the night—having to battle both the Mets and the umpire is a recipe for frustration. And in a tight division race where every game counts, those blown calls can be the difference between a win and a loss. Here's hoping the umpires' union gets a memo about consistency, because the Tigers have enough on their plate without having to fight the men in blue.