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Houston Astros starter Framber Valdez is likely the top option for teams searching for starting pitching this winter.
Patrick McAvoy of Sports Illustrated believes that the defending World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers are a potential fit for the left-hander.
Valdez has been in Cy Young conversations for the last three seasons, a two-time All-Star and a World Series Champion with the 2022 Astros. With the Dodgers’ willingness to spend in the offseason and stockpile pitching, especially with their recent bad luck of injuries to their rotation, they might see adding Valdez as a frontline starter as their most prominent move of the offseason.
Recently, Valdez has incited some controversy, as he appeared to intentionally cross up his catcher, Cesar Salazar, with a 93 mph sinker. If intentional, it’s a concerning action of frustration, but it’s not enough to kill his market or deter contending teams from the best free agent pitcher this upcoming winter.
The Dodgers enter Thursday with nine pitchers on the injured list as the final month of the season rolls on. While the team hopes that some can return before the postseason, this should be a topic of discussion in the Dodgers’ war room during the offseason.
Valdez has had two injuries that caused him to miss time during his tenure with the Astros, one of which was elbow inflammation that required a stint on the injured list. Despite this, the Astros’ left-hander has remained a reliable option at the front of their rotation. Between 2020 and his 2024 injury, Valdez was a workhorse, pitching the fourth most innings in baseball, and would be a welcome addition to many teams’ pitching staffs this offseason.
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