{"id":330495,"date":"2025-12-06T00:53:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T00:53:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/330495\/"},"modified":"2025-12-06T00:53:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T00:53:09","slug":"the-best-fits-for-framber-valdez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/330495\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Fits For Framber Valdez"},"content":{"rendered":"

Each offseason at MLBTR, we take a look at the potential markets for some of the top names in free agency. We’ve already<\/a> covered<\/a> the two best free agent hitters, Kyle Tucker<\/a> and Bo Bichette<\/a>. With Dylan Cease<\/a> off the board on what is likely to be the biggest pitching contract of the winter, we’ll look at the market for the best left-hander: Framber Valdez<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Valdez has been one of the most durable and consistent pitchers in the sport over the past six seasons. This year’s 3.66 earned run average was his highest since he established himself as a starter with the Astros in 2020. Valdez has surpassed 175 innings in four straight seasons. He sits in the 95-96 MPH range and is capable of both missing bats and keeping the ball on the ground. Valdez doesn’t have the strikeout ceiling that Cease brings to the table, but he has fanned an above-average 23-25% of opponents in four straight years. His true standout trait is a ground-ball rate that annually ranks among the sport’s highest, including a huge 58.6% mark this past season.<\/p>\n

The plus stuff from the left side and combination of whiffs and grounders makes Valdez fairly similar to\u00a0Max Fried<\/a>. He’s not going to match the eight-year, $218MM contract that Fried commanded when he was headed into his age-31 season. Valdez, who turned 32 last month, is probably looking at a five- or six-year deal at a premium annual rate. MLBTR predicted<\/a> a five-year, $150MM contract that made him our #6 free agent. He’s tied with Tatsuya Imai<\/a> for the second-largest predicted contracts among pitchers (behind Cease, whom we had at $189MM over seven years).<\/p>\n

Valdez rejected a qualifying offer from the Astros, who are not expected to make much of an effort to bring him back. They’ll receive a compensatory pick — specifics of which won’t be determined until MLB finalizes the 2025 luxury tax calculations — while the signing team will forfeit draft and\/or international bonus pool space. That shouldn’t be much of a deterrent for arguably the best immediate rotation upgrade available.<\/p>\n


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