March 4: The initial recommendation for treatment of Valdez’s injury is surgery, tweets Heyman. The recovery time on the recommended operation would be sizable enough that there’s concern the left-hander could miss the entire season, Heyman adds.
That’d register as a surprise, although we don’t know the extent of the fracture at this point or whether the imaging performed after that initial announcement revealed any additional damage. The club is still seeking further opinions.
March 3, 12:10pm: Valdez has been diagnosed with a fractured left ring finger, general manager James Click announced to reporters (Twitter link via FOX 26’s Mark Berman). There’s no timetable for his return yet, as he’s slated for additional tests and imaging.
11:58am: Astros lefty Framber Valdez is dealing with a finger injury, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports. The amount of time he’s expected to miss isn’t clear, as he’s still being evaluated by doctors, but Heyman adds that it’s believed to be “serious” and is expected to keep him out of action for awhile. Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle tweets that Valdez took a Francisco Lindor grounder off the hand during yesterday’s outing, though he pitched another inning after doing so.
An absence of any length for Valdez would be a tough hit for the Astros, who are already unlikely to get much of anything from Justin Verlander in 2021 after he underwent Tommy John surgery last year. Valdez stepped up in Verlander’s absence and played a huge part in Houston’s playoff run, breaking out with 70 2/3 innings of 3.57 ERA ball over the course of 11 appearances. The 27-year-old completed at least seven innings on six occasions and completed six frames in nine of his 11 outings.
Fielding-independent metrics suggest that Valdez’s 2020 breakout was even better than reflected in his ERA. Valdez’s 60 percent ground-ball rate was one of the best in the game, and his 26.4 percent strikeout rate and 5.6 percent walk rate were both markedly better than the league average. The lefty’s 2.85 FIP and 3.23 SIERA both suggest that his 2020 success was far from a fluke.
For the Astros, Valdez is expected to slot into the rotation’s top three alongside Zack Greinke, Lance McCullers Jr., Jose Urquidy and Cristian Javier. It’s a solid-looking group thanks to surprise showings from both Valdez and Javier in 2020, but the depth beyond that quintet lacks big league experience and/or success. Their most experienced options, Josh James and Austin Pruitt, are both on the mend from surgery. James had hip surgery in late October, which came with a six to eight month recovery period. Pruitt had elbow surgery in September and, as of January, was not expected to be ready for Opening Day.
Righty Brandon Bielak was hit hard in 12 appearances last year (six starts, six relief outings), and righties Luis Garcia and Bryan Abreu both have fewer than 15 MLB frames under their belts. Garcia did get the ball in a playoff game, but that was largely out of necessity. Prior to 2020, he’d yet to even pitch in Double-A.
Meanwhile, Tyler Ivey and Nivaldo Rodriguez are both on the 40-man roster, but Ivey has yet to pitch in the big leagues and Rodriguez only tossed eight innings of relief in 2020. Prospect Forrest Whitley is also on the 40-man, and he’s still considered a Top 100 farmhand even if his stock has tumbled over the past two years. Former Red Sox swingman Hector Velazquez is in camp as a non-roster player, but the Astros historically haven’t brought in many veterans on non-guaranteed deals and that’s again the case in 2021.
Looks like the Astros are going to need to sign Cole Hamels after this…
The Astros are looking like a team that is about to fall off hard. They shouldn’t have even been in the playoffs last year considering they had a losing record. Between this injury, Grienke getting older and less dominant, paying over $30 million to Verlander to not pitch next season and Springer leaving… the band is about to break up. Altuve isn’t quite what he used to be either. Hamels won’t help this team. The man signed an $18 million a year contract for last season and then only made 1 appearance. It’s shoulder problems and they nagged him all year long in a serious way. Hamels re-injured his shoulder the very first game he tried to pitch. Hamels needs to sign a 1-year $1 million contract with the Phillies for a farewell tour. He won’t finish the season either way. His shoulder is going to get injured again and he is going to have to retire.
So, since YOU think they shouldn’t have made the playoffs takes away from the fact they were a game from the WS? They made it in.
Definitely seems like a team about to “fall off.”
Making the playoffs and ‘falling off’ are not mutually exclusive.
Britt is probably right about the direction of the team, even if some disagree.
I understand that. And probably shouldn’t have worded my comment as such. However, the Astros still have a strong core and with Verlander and Greinke off their books after this season, they’ll have an opportunity to add/re-up their own guys. I wouldn’t say they are falling off.
What I meant was a 37+ year old Zack Grienke can’t carry this team. Especially since he just had the worst season of his career. I have nothing against the Astros. I don’t “hate them” like some other people seem to. I have just noticed that a lot of people seem to use the shortened season as an excuse for their losing record. The shortened season didn’t hurt the Astros. It helped them dramatically. The Astros only made the playoffs because of the 16-team expanded playoffs due to the shortened season. Who is going to win games for this team next season? Like I said, Grienke can’t carry this team by himself. He only starts 20% of the games. I would love to see Yordan Alvarez be great but I am skeptical. Alvarez is way too young to be a DH that already has such extensive injury history. Alvarez has potential 1-year wonder written all over him. Altuve is good. Bregman is great. Brantley is good. I just don’t see how those players combine to make a great team next season. Especially when they combined to earn a losing record last season. Most of the Astros contracts (sans Bregman) are under water. That’s not a good formula to win. You can’t lose George Springer, Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole with no replacements and expect to stay a good team.
Imo the only thing that will stop yordan from being a superstar is his knees. His plate discipline and contact skills for a 22 year old were unbelievable. And he has light tower power. And greinke is not expected to be great. Lance McCullers, framber valdez, jose urquidy, and cristian javier form a nice rotation. The astros have zero contracts under water. I expect altuve to have a tremendous season.
I also do expect regression from the Astros. Replacing cole verlander and springer is rough. But jeff luhnow set up a draft and develop system as good as any in the majors. Jim crane is no cheap owner. He wants to win.
They had Valdez as a key piece last year. If he’s injured, good luck.
@stupendous _ Britt nailed it. The Asterisks best days are behind them. One extremely tainted championship. Fade away punks!!!.
The nationals didnt deserve to be in the playoffs in ‘19 through 60 games by your standards. Find me a team in baseball that lost an ace in free agency, another to injury after one start and a near all rookie pen make it to game 7 of an lcs. I get it if u hate the astros but we are not going away. The valdez injury sux but he will be back
Yea thats a little bizarre to say they are about to “fall off hard”.
Like mentioned before, the Astros were 1 win away from the world series. This was done despite down years from altuve and bregman and without verlander pitching basically the entire year. His and greinke’s massive contracts come off the books after this year. That’s 60+ million right there of freed up money
Sure losing springer hurts but they get Yordan back.. The young pitchers is what really allowed the team to get as far as they did last year. There’s still a very strong, young core there
I cant say anyone had a down year through 60 games. Bregman is a notoriously slow starter. Altuve raked in the playoffs. Most hitters only have one really good half in a given season. Baseball is peaks and valleys. Judging anybody off that small a sample size is dangerous.
Wow, these asterisk fans are pretty touchy, you say anything uncomplimentary about the trashcan gang & they turn on you like a spider monkey on meth!
Who is “touchy?” It’s called disagreeing and debating. You seem very reasonable with the “asterisk” and “trash can gang” references. Wow, you really got us, Gothamcityriddler!!
I don’t think they are going to fall off hard at all.
They more than make up for the loss of Springer with the return of Yordan Alvarez. As for Altuve, he played very well during their playoff run and looked healthy finally. Last year they had really bad seasons from Correa and Bregman and that isn’t likely to happen again. Their offense will be elite.
As far as the bullpen is concerned, it should be better as well.
In the rotation they are without Verlander and Valdez. However, the Astros think it is possible both are back late in the season. Even without having them, they still have a decent rotation with lots of young talented players as pitchers.
I still think they win their division and likely go deep in the playoffs. There is a lot of talent still on that team and lots of players with high upside.
Rick Porcello can provide innings.
Rick Porcello may provide innings but that’s also mediocrity.
They probably should be looking at Odorizzi. They are likely going to lose Verlander and/or Grienke next winter and the lack of veteran depth behind Grienke and McCullers is glaring. In a 60 game season you can survive with an unproven group but in 162 games that could become an issue, especially knowing how good the A’s are and if the Mariners take steps forward this season
They have a lot of good young arms….. Valdez, Urquidy, Javier, Abreu, Whitley and a couple of others. They will likely add a veteran but lots of system depth on the pitching side. As for next year, they will have lots of money to add at least one, if not two pitchers.
Hamels didn’t want to go to the Astros years ago, now they don’t need him. Hasn’t played well last few years, just hanging around for another pay check
@Redwood13- yeah Hamels was a smart man years ago and now. Why would he want to play for a team of cheats? Smh
Yeah it looks like they are having the same problem that kept the Cubs from winning another world series from 2016-2020. Never have enough pitching
Framber’s finger feels fried from Francisco’s fireball forecasting fortitude and frailty for a fortnight
F that
That’s far-fetched.
A for F-fort
Dangit! I actually liked Valdez! That’s a shame…
Btw, didn’t y’all say yesterday that the Stros’ are 13.5 mil away from hitting the lux tax? In addition, isn’t Odorizzi asking for 13-15 mil? Idk, just something to consider. Keep the CF job internal and sign Odorizzi?
Yeah, they’re going to have to get basically either Anibal Sanchez, Tyson Ross, The Shark, Rick Porcello, or it will have to be Jake Odorizzi.
Clearly, one of those options is far better than the others, but it would look like the Astros would have to go roughly 8-9mil on the first year, and then backload a 2-3 yr deal, or they can try to defer some money in order to save them some a little room at the trade deadline.
It would be one of those options, they can wait and see if anyone gets cut, or they will have to try and pry someone loose from a team like the Marlins that has a bit of excess talented starters…??
Idk, but it’ll definitely be interesting to see what course the Astros take after this terrible news!! Valdez was on track to really break out and make a name for hisself this season, playing a key role in their postseason aspirations. Now, if they truly want to make a run, they’re going to have to replace him with at least a talented #3-#4…Not a good start for the Stros…
Anibal doesn’t sound like he’s all that interested in playing. Tyson Ross signed with the Rangers. Odorizzi, Porcello, Samardzija, Hamels, Homer Bailey, and Trevor Cahill are all still available. Astros should certainly look into some of those options
Not really confirmed to miss the the full year it is only a broken finger rub some dirt on it and get back in there
It’s a finger on his pitching hand. Grip and spin rate are so important that this could take several months to fully heal. Could be August before he’s back.
Paging Jake Odorizzi
yeah it’s a good fit
More like Paging Cole Hamels
More like Paging Big Sexy.
This is exactly what Odorizzi’s agent was waiting for. Will the contract be for 2 or 3 years? 3/36 sounds about right, but I’m sure Mike Leake could be had for 1/10ish.
If he waits much longer may only get a one year offer. Like JBJ thinking he could a four year deal and waited to long and only getting a two year
A ferocious fig feast following fastidious fasting features fearsome fingerpulling flatulence.
Maybe they should look at signing Juan Valdez instead. Just a thought.
I’m glad my fantasy league doesn’t draft until next week. I was looking at both Valdez and Kole Calhoun, both of whom are now injured.
If you want some insider information of a really good, sneaky pickup, pickup Ronald Guzman. The dude won the Dominican MVP last winter, but since the Rangers now have Nate Lowe for 1B, he can’t play there or DH anymore (because of Calhoun). They think his bat is so valuable right now that they are putting him in the OF for today’s ST game. In fact, yesterday he hit a homer and drew a walk in his two AB’s. Here’s his homer: mlb.com/rangers/video/ronald-guzman-s-solo-home-ru…
The swing is pretty now isn’t it? He completely changed it this off-season, and he looks like a beast now. Very good low pickup in fantasy.
Yeah, good update Rangers29. Bobby Bradley another one.
you guys should have mentioned Whitley in the article as well
I wonder what the deal is with him? I’m still a believer, but I’m not sure if he starts the season with the big club.
He is a lot like Bauer…….. he seems to believe that he knows what is best, he doesn’t always follow the suggestion of his coaches. They had him as the best pitching prospect in baseball and he decided to radically change his delivery and made a mess of it.
Why are people acting like Valdez is missing the whole season? This isn’t a huge issue.
takeitback – “The recovery time on the recommended operation would be sizable enough that there’s concern the left-hander could miss the entire season, Heyman adds.”
Maybe that’s why.
To be fair, @takeitback asked this question a whole 20 hours before the season ending surgery was recommended.
Yeah, I figured a fractured finger would be a 5-6 week deal. Never imagined him missing the whole season.
Yeah, I noticed that. My apologies to takeitback. I’m surprised a fractured finger would be that tough to heal unless there are aggravating circumstances in how it broke.
“Could miss” and the world could end tomorrow too
fractures arent just insignificant injuries you know
But how will Valdez help the Stro’s to cheat with a fractured finger?
Shut up.
@tbbs- somebody’s upset. I guess all the cheating has got to you? Lol
Where is that Yankee memo? Biggest cheaters in baseball, and they still lose on a consistent basis. Will lose again this year. Lol
@jmaverik- the Yankees cheating? Really? Exactly you have no proof of that. Your comments are as fictional as yourself. Gotcha. You seem salty all that cheating and only 1 ring. The Stro’s are a big joke like you. Lol
Yank – The cheating comments are so old and tired. Maybe find something else to repeat over and over again.
Lol yourself, bro.
“they still lose on a consistent basis”
Say what now?
I haven’t cheered for a losing team in over a quarter century. Which would – obviously – mean I’m a Yankee fan. As that’s the only team that can say that.
So. Now what, bro?
@DBF- it really makes you wonder how many years the Stro’s we’re actually cheating? Smh. I can’t believe they can keep that championship? This is what’s wrong with baseball, and why sad to say it will continue to be the 3rd most popular sport. Houston should be stripped of their 1 championship and Manfred needs to be stripped of being the Commissioner of Major League Baseball. The black eye for baseball will just continue without that happening. When have the Yankees been a losing team? 27 Championships doesn’t sound like a losing team. lol
im genuaingly curious if most non-Yankees fans care this much. y’all really think a hitter like Altuve couldn’t have gotten a hit off of Chapman without knowing what pitch is coming? Its hardly like no one’s ever gotten a hit off him.
@DS830- not saying that all. But we all know that Altuve was expecting a slider because he knew it was coming. I guess we will just continue to justify their cheating? The Astros are sickening. Let’s not pretend their not. Should they really be able to keep their Championship? Smh
@darkside –
Altuve is a pretty good player.
Especially for such a, itty, bitty, teeny, tiny fella. So he certainly could have.
For me, it’s a crummy way to win or lose. We’ll never know how it should have played out. I moved on immediately. Hated all the acrimony about “cheating”.
Yanks probably got shafted though.
Nothing we can do about it now, however. Those horses are out of the corral.
The hypocrisy of Yankee fans on this subject is all time cringe worthy.
Oh, for sure @goat!
The Yanks were fined, lost draft picks, & had their manager & GM suspended due to their sign stealing…
Oh.
Wait. My bad. That actually wasn’t the Yankees. It was the Astros & red sox who suffered those particular punishments. & not the Yankees at all.
Huh.
None of that stuff actually happened to the Yanks. So. Personally, I find outright ignorance to be cringe worthy. But to each their own.
🙂
@prov356- Nah, boss cheating never gets old. Maybe 2 U? Lol
@DBF- well said!
Yank – “cheating never gets old”. Maybe you meant something else and it came out wrong. That suggests you condone cheating.
Anyway, I’m not talking about the cheating. It was wrong. I’m talking about your relentless comments about it that are old and tired. It’s over, it’s been adjudicated, so please move on.
I hear what you’re saying, @prov –
I’m tired of it, too. Very good chance, that as a Yankee fan I’m actually more ill of it than are you.
But it’s also very easy for me to see why so many Yankee fans are still incensed. In ’17, ’18, & ’19 we lost in the postseason on what was quite probably an uneven playing field. & that sucks.
It really does.
I would hate for my squad to win a title that way. It’s also not very fun to lose that way, either. & it really sucks for our players who did things the right way & were quite possibly literally cheated out of a pennant.
It’s going to remain a sore spot with all of MLB for awhile yet. & the Yanks are the team that was effected the most.
Of course our fans are pissed. If it was your club your fans would be too. It’s hard enough to win a title. But a good team that excells at cheating makes it so much more difficult.
I knew if I scrolled down far enough someone would turn this into a Astros cheating comment.
@FM4THOF- the Astros never cheated? Or do they still do? Guess we’ll never know. Smh
Lol that’s not what he was saying, he was just saying that he knew that it would turn into that.
Maybe this is a “Wait… We have Whitley!” moment…
? For Yank4 and all the other Gotham lovers out there – which team knocked the Yanks out
Of the playoffs in 2015, 2017 and 2019? And guess what year/season is about to being – 2021.
This is an example of why I wanted the Astros to go after Odorrizzi. One injury scare to a pitcher, and it’s like Oh crap! Too much fragility. I would love one more solid SP.
Exactly
@buffalo Bill- all that cheating and only one championship? It seems really worth it? Smh.So the Yankees lost in 2015,2017, and 2019 to a cheating ball club. Will they be cheating in 2021 also so they can beat the Yankees again? If they can’t cheat. Then look at the results. They don’t win.
Alex Rodriguez played for what team when he got caught w his hand in the steroid jar?
@prospect . Great comment. Alex Rodriquez got entangled in the Biogensis scandal as a Yankee in 2013. Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz handed down a entire 2014 MLB season suspension.
Alex Rodriguez is an individual. A single player.
The astros & red sox engaged in systemic, organization wide electronic cheating.
The only way you can fail to see how incredibly different those are is if you are choosing to.
@Prospectnvstr- A-ROD or A-ROID get it? He was destined to do that. Just like the Stro’s were destined to cheat.
And you really think no other teams had players using roids?
Well, some people do believe that, but the reality is that all teams have had players that are dopers.
Now I’m supposed to feel bad for a cheating team, falling apart? No thanks. Good luck with all that.
Your not lol. They are still a good team tho
They need should get Odorizzi now. If they can get him for an AAV of 5 mil that’s fine since big contracts coming off books.
If Odorizzi were willing to sign for a $5MM annual salary he’d have been off the board months ago.
Yeah, really. While JBJ only got 2 years, his AAV is still $12M. I expect similar with Odorizzi, with a same type of option so he can hit the market again next year with some protection.
This is not going to be the only starting pitcher to go down in the next couple of weeks. I have no idea what he’ll sign for, but I think it will be more than JBJ.
True. Playing the waiting game as a starting pitcher is not a bad strategy with camps now open and games being played. Injuries will mount. What’s slowing his market, beyond the Covid situation, is likely landing spots on the Astros, Yankees and Red Sox are out of play as they are all managing to the luxury cap, I mean tax.
I’m convinced a year on, when things have normalized somewhat, a few teams will look back seeing the prices for starters rising again, and looking at all the pitching injuries in 2021, and realize they should have signed Odorizzi to a three year deal.
The door is open for the Angels.
Surgery on a fractured ring finger might take him out for the season? Seems…odd.
Agreed. He must have shattered it.
I have a feeling that it’s going to be a tough year for pitching injuries, but more so in the NL.
Not familiar with Valdez… so I looked at his bbref page… He had an ok year last year for sure, but why was he 11th in the Cy Young voting? Why would he get ANY Cy Young votes?
Was among the league leaders in innings, had a 126 ERA+ and a 2.85 FIP. Those numbers indicate he pitched well in the Season of Covid. 11th place only required one vote point. Not a crazy point, although I do suspect it was a Houston voter. I wouldn’t be too concerned about down-ballot votes, especially here where it’s defensible.
3rd in the AL in FIP. Look closer.
Well they whiffed on Bradley so might as well pickup Odorizzi. Not like they can’t use the SP anyway.
Oh come on. Tape it up and apply ice and get back out there in 4 weeks. Miss the entire season for a fractured finger…he finished out the inning!
I fractured my left ankle (twice) and missed one day of work and I was in a cast. Cast off 4 weeks later and was bowling leagues that night. Miss the season for a fractured ring finger…
I’m sure he’ll do great throwing with less velocity and movement because he’s got a broken finger. That’ll be great for the team to have a player playing sub-optimally just because 50 years ago they ignored injuries.
Cheaters justice..F*** those rats. Baseball is a better place with the Astr*s about to fall off a cliff
What a shame it would be if the Stros were bitten hard by the injury bug and 2021 was a lost season for them.
Even though he’s an Astros player, this is not something that I want to hear.