Astros Free Agent Hurler Remains Among Mlb’s Top 100 Players Entering 2026

Framber Valdez whitethorn person stake incorrect successful not taking nan Houston Astros’ qualifying connection successful November. But he’s still 1 of baseball’s champion players.

Valdez, who remains a free agent, was selected No. 80 during MLB Network’s Top 100 players entering 2026. One spot up of him was erstwhile Phillies starter Ranger Suarez, who conscionable agreed to a woody pinch nan Boston Red Sox.  

On Wednesday, Astros 2nd baseman Jose Altuve made nan database arsenic he was selected No. 81. There were nary different existent Astros listed among nan adjacent tier of players.

Houston hasn’t shown immoderate liking successful re-signing Valdez, truthful he continues his quest to find a statement earlier outpouring training originates adjacent period astir Major League Baseball.

Reflecting connected Framber Valdez’s Houston Career

When Valdez turned down nan Astros’ $22 cardinal qualifying offer, he had hoped to get a semipermanent woody moreover astatine property 32. He’s received immoderate interest. But pinch Suarez’s caller deal, Valdez is unquestionably nan apical starter connected nan marketplace that hasn’t signed a deal. When free agency started his projections for a statement ranged from $25 cardinal to $31 cardinal successful mean yearly value. Now, it’s not clear if he’ll moreover get a multi-year deal.

The Astros fundamentally closed nan doorway connected reuniting pinch Valdez aft they signed Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai to a three-year contract, though he has an opt-out to usage aft each season. He signed his woody pinch Houston conscionable earlier his NPB posting play expired.

He’ll person to activity difficult to replicate Valdez’s consistency successful nan Houston rotation.

Valdez is coming disconnected a 2025 successful which he went 13-11 pinch a. 3.66 ERA. He has been 1 of nan astir accordant left-handers successful shot since he arrived arsenic a full-time starter successful nan 2021 season. He is 81-52 for his profession pinch a 3.36 ERA, including 1,053 strikeouts. He went to nan All-Star Game twice, claimed a ringing pinch Houston successful nan 2022 World Series and has vanished successful nan Top 10 successful Cy Young voting 3 different times.

Wherever he lands, that squad will extremity up pinch a left-hander that will beryllium nary little than its No. 2 starter. That’s what nan Astros envision for Imai, who should slot successful down nan rotation’s caller ace, Hunter Brown, who vanished 3rd successful American League Cy Young voting past season. Also group to beryllium successful nan rotation is Cristian Javier, pinch caller acquisitions Mike Burrows and Ryan Weiss group to compete for spots pinch holdovers for illustration Lance McCullers Jr.

Recommended Articles