With exactly a month left in the regular season, Astros’ pitcher Framber Valdez is entering a crucial stretch.
The eight-year major league veteran will become a free agent this offseason, but his recent play—he holds a 5.64 ERA in August—isn’t helping his market value.
That’s why Thomas Harrigan of MLB.com lists Valdez as one of 10 stars who need to finish the season strong before free agency hits.
Pressure mounting for Valdez
Here’s how Harrigan explains the pressure Valdez faces the rest of this season:
“Valdez could enter free agency as the top arm in a class lacking a clear-cut No. 1 starter. No other pitcher headed to market can match his track record, with a 3.16 ERA over 148 games (147 starts) since the outset of 2020. Still, if his August struggles carry over into September, it could give clubs reason to hesitate once he hits free agency, especially considering he’ll turn 32 in November.”
So far, Valdez is rising to the occasion. After four miserable starts in August, he bounced back on Wednesday vs. the Colorado Rockies with 7.0 scoreless innings of three-hit ball.
And Valdez still has a solid 3.18 ERA this season over 26 starts, signaling to potential suitors that he’s an elite pitcher who's just in the middle of a temporary slump. The two-time All-Star has proved himself countless times over the years, making the MLB First Team in 2022 and throwing a no-hitter on August 1, 2023.
But as Valdez ages, more starts like the ones this month could decrease his earnings. He’ll have to be sharp down the stretch.