Framber Valdez’s list of current suitors does not include Astros (and that's good)

The last time the Houston Astros saw Framber Valdez take the mound, it was a vintage performance. Taking on the Athletics in Sacramento, the veteran southpaw went seven strong, allowing just one earned run on seven hits, two walks, and recording 10 strikeouts while posting a 66.7% ground ball rate. It was the kind of brilliance those in the Space City had come to expect from the once-unheralded signing out of the Dominican Republic.

It was long assumed that it would be Valdez's last outing as an Astro. It's not that the club doesn't need starters; in fact, replacing the 32-year-old workhorse is the most crucial need Houston faces this winter. Therefore, it might be a surprise that the Astros aren't on the latest list of potential suitors for the free-agent ace.

The Astros are absent from the current list of Framber Valdez suitors, and that's not bad news

The New York Mets, the Baltimore Orioles, and the San Francisco Giants all met with Valdez during November's general manager meetings, in what was an unusual appearance for Valdez. Those three clubs are now considered the front-runners for his services, which begs the question: Why aren't the Astros involved?

For one thing, Houston's desire to stay below the luxury tax has led to a tight budget that would be nearly impossible to fit Valdez into. While a running mate for Hunter Brown is the top priority, it is far from the only need, and if the Astros were somehow miraculously able to re-sign Valdez and stay under the luxury tax, it would kill any flexibility for other important moves.

But beyond the financials, there are other reasons to say goodbye. There was the infamous cross-up incident that not only put a black mark on Valdez's Astros tenure but served as the culmination of other questionable behavior that can ultimately divide a clubhouse.

Beyond that, however, there's something else at play. Simply put, Valdez let the club down when they needed him most. As the Astros spiraled down the stretch, the fingers can be pointed in many directions when one tries to solve for what went wrong. The injuries piled up, the bats went silent, and big trade deadline acquisitions proved to be duds.

In the midst of all that, Houston needed a rock. Instead, he laid an egg. Framber had looked like a dark horse Cy Young candidate in the first half, posting a 2.75 ERA over 121 innings pitched. However, post-All-Star break, his ERA ballooned to 5.20, and the shenanigans began.

Houston is still looking to contend in 2026, but it'll be weaker than it has been in years past. The attrition, long-term contracts, and aging curve all will make life more difficult as they try to right 2025's wrongs. With that, they need a hurler who can rise to the occasion, and that is someone other than Framber Valdez.