The Texas Rangers had a good season, but were plagued by injuries right when they needed to be healthy, causing them to miss the playoffs. Now, they have an entire offseason to try and figure out how to bring themselves back to their 2023 World Series-winning form.
Fansided’s Mark Powell believes they can make a step in that direction by acquiring Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez, who’s expected to leave in free agency this offseason.
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“Valdez had a 3.66 ERA last season, his worst since 2020. He's consistently sub-4 and a top of the rotation starting pitcher. There are plenty of teams in need of that, but if I had to pick one outside the box choice, the Texas Rangers make more sense than you might think. For Valdez, signing with Texas would allow him to avoid state income tax and remain close to the roots he established in Houston,” Powell wrote.
This season, Valdez finished with a 3.66 ERA, a record of 13-11, a WHIP of 1.245, and 187 Ks over 192 innings pitched. However, before his end of season meltdown that began at the trade deadline, he posted a record of 11-4, a 2.62 ERA, and 141 Ks.
Maybe all Valdez needs is a change of scenery. Texas could provide that. He stays in-state, close to his roots as Powell stated, but with a fresh start on a new team.
Hopefully the Rangers get in contact with Valdez if he does test free agency, as they could have one of the nastiest rotations in the MLB if they land him.
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