Spring training games are about to begin, and most of baseball’s biggest offseason questions have already been answered across the free-agent market.
Sep 20, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) walks on the field with catcher Yainer Diaz (21) before the game against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Kyle Tucker landed with the Dodgers, Kyle Schwarber stayed in Philadelphia, Alex Bregman moved to Chicago, and Pete Alonso reshaped Baltimore’s lineup.
Nearly every marquee name found a home.
One did not.
Former Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez remains unsigned, lingering in a market that once seemed poised to reward him handsomely.
From Houston’s perspective, this outcome feels familiar rather than surprising.
The Astros never behaved like a team eager to extend Valdez, even when his on-field production suggested he deserved top-of-market consideration.
Valdez’s final season in Houston felt less like a campaign and more like a countdown toward separation.
Both sides appeared ready to move on.
On paper, Valdez had positioned himself perfectly for free agency.
A proven left-handed starter, postseason experience, and a résumé that justified a massive payday.
But performance wasn’t the only story.
Valdez’s behavior raised eyebrows internally and externally.
The intentional catcher cross-up incident lingered, as did his public willingness to question Houston’s coaching staff.
Those moments mattered.
Front offices notice friction, especially when it comes from pitchers seeking long-term commitments deep into their thirties.
As free agency unfolded, the market’s response was telling.
Once viewed as the top available starter, Valdez has seen interest cool rather than accelerate.
The Orioles emerged as the most consistent suitor, but even that connection feels tentative.
Reports suggest Baltimore may now be pivoting toward safer or shorter-term alternatives.
Justin Verlander. Lucas Giolito. Familiar risk profiles.
The Giants briefly surfaced as a possibility, but MLB Network’s Mark Feinsand downplayed any serious long-term pursuit.
Other teams appear in conversation only hypothetically.
Potential fits without urgency.
Options without momentum.
That tone says everything.
What once felt like an inevitable nine-figure deal now resembles a prolonged waiting game.
For the Astros, that reality feels validating.
Houston has never been aggressive with long-term contracts for aging starting pitchers, even elite ones.
An in-season extension for Valdez likely would have pushed toward $200 million.
That number alone made the front office uneasy.
Add in clubhouse tension and durability concerns, and hesitation becomes logic.
As weeks pass without resolution, Houston’s restraint looks increasingly prudent.
There will always be debate about whether the Astros are better without Valdez.
On pure talent, the answer isn’t simple.
But on risk management, the conclusion feels clearer.
Avoiding a massive commitment preserved flexibility and prevented future regret.
The Astros didn’t panic.
They didn’t negotiate publicly.
They didn’t chase sentiment.
They trusted their evaluation.
Now, the market is reinforcing it.
Valdez will eventually sign somewhere.
Talent still commands opportunity.
But the terms will almost certainly fall short of early projections.
And each compromise strengthens Houston’s position retroactively.
This isn’t about celebrating a player’s stalled free agency.
It’s about process.
The Astros identified warning signs early and chose discipline over emotion.
In modern baseball, that approach often draws criticism before it earns praise.
But time has a way of clarifying decisions.
As camps open and rosters settle, Houston looks forward while Valdez waits.
Quietly, the Astros can say what they never needed to announce.
They saw this coming.
And the market, at last, agrees.
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