Mike Elias’s #1 Christmas wish list item at the outset of the offseason was starting pitching, specifically a starter for the “top half of the rotation”. With the MLB offseason approaching the customary pause between Christmas and New Years, there is still nothing in the Orioles starting pitching Christmas stocking. The Orioles have been pretty quiet this offseason aside from signing closer Craig Kimbrel and getting righthander Jonathan Heasley from Kansas City.
But there hasn’t been any silence from the rumor mill. This offseason, the Orioles have been linked to a number of starting pitchers, including Aaron Nola, Shane Bieber, and Dylan Cease. Framber Valdez, a lefty starting pitcher for the Houston Astros, is another gifted player who could be a target.
Teams anticipate that the Astros will at least consider offers for Framber Valdez, in part because of worries about the luxury tax, according to Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. Valdez is expected to make $12.8 million this season and is under control through 2025, as Rosenthal noted in his piece. Additionally, according to Jim Callis of MLB.com, the Astros’ farm system has faltered, falling to dead last, despite the team being a consistent contender for the past five years.
The Astros might try to trade Valdez since they need to get some young talent and could want to reduce their payroll. But it won’t be inexpensive. The 30-year-old left-hander has had four successful seasons in a row; his finest campaign occurred in 2022 when he
Absolutely, in a word. Although Valdez’s advanced statistics may not make him an elite pitcher, his track record and ability to induce ground balls should put him at the top of the Orioles’ starting pitching candidate list. Furthermore, Valdez is still under team control for two more seasons; Spotrac projects his 2024 salary to be $12.8 million.
That is little more than half of what Tyler Glasnow, a different starting pitcher we had in mind, is projected to make in 2024. After a four-player trade to the Dodgers, Glasnow agreed to a five-year, $136 million contract extension with the Los Angeles team.
Valdez is very durable as well. In contrast to Bieber and Glasnow, Valdez has started 31 games in consecutive seasons. He launched 201.1
As was previously said, the Astros (a) should and should strive to enhance their farm system, but (b) are probably still in the “win-now” mode, thus it is difficult to estimate what kind of trade package they may offer for Valdez. In light of this, my trade proposal adds players that could help the Astros win now while also allowing them to replenish their empty farm system.