Astros manager Joe Espada informed members of the club’s beat, including Chandler Rome of The Athletic, that left-hander Framber Valdez will be activated off the injured list to start Sunday’s game against the Rockies in Mexico City. Rome also reports (X link) that right-hander J.P. France will be optioned in a corresponding move.
The news is obviously great for Valdez personally. He and the club got a scare when he landed on the injured list earlier this month due to soreness in his throwing elbow. It’s always a concerning element when a pitcher’s throwing elbow is injured but a number of high-profile pitchers requiring season-ending surgery this year only heightened the worry.
Thankfully, it seems Valdez avoided a really serious injury. He started throwing again shortly after being placed on the IL and will now be quickly activated, just barely over the 15-day minimum and without requiring a rehab assignment.
The news is also great for the team, as the Astros have been scrambling to fill their rotation all season along. They came into they year knowing they would be without Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia, since they each underwent significant elbow surgeries last year and won’t be available until midseason at the earliest. But the rotation was further thinned out during Spring Training when Justin Verlander and José Urquidy each landed on the injured list.
Valdez then landed on the injured list a few weeks ago, further depleting the rotation mix. Verlander returned to health and rejoined the club about a week ago, but then Cristian Javier swapped places with him, landing on the IL due to neck discomfort. Now that Valdez is back, he’ll slot into the rotation next to Verlander, Ronel Blanco, Hunter Brown and Spencer Arrighetti.
France being sent down registers as a surprise. He’s certainly not out to an amazing start to the season, with a 7.46 earned run average through five starts. But he did quite well last year, with a 3.83 ERA in 136 1/3 innings. He may have been challenged to maintain those kinds of results going forward, as his 17.4% strikeout rate was a bit below average last year, but he’s actually increased his strikeout rate to 18.2% this year.
His struggles in the early going could perhaps be a bit based on luck. His .289 batting average on balls in play last year has ticked up to .321 this season, while his strand rate has gone from 76.7% to 62.2%. His 5.52 FIP and 4.95 SIERA both suggest he deserved to have slightly better results than what he actually got.
Beyond looking at France in a vacuum, it’s also surprising to see him as the corresponding move when considering the other options. Both Brown and Arrighetti still have options and each has allowed more earned runs than innings pitched this year. Brown had a 9.68 ERA through five outings while Arrighetti has a 10.97 ERA through three.
A deeper look perhaps sheds some light on the decision, however. Arrighetti has struck out 25.9% of batters faced, far more than France. His 12.1% walk rate is certainly on the high side but he’s also been victimized by a .500 BABIP and 52.8% strand rate. His 3.81 FIP and 4.04 SIERA are actually quite serviceable.
Brown’s rate stats for the year aren’t amazing but his numbers are also heavily skewed by one nightmare outing in which he allowed nine runs on 11 hits against the Royals while only recording two outs. Perhaps the Astros are giving him the benefit of the doubt since he had a 26.8% strikeout rate, 8.3% walk rate and 52.4% ground ball rate last year. Perhaps the club will speak on their reasoning in the coming days.
The diminished rotation is a huge reason why the Astros are out to its worst start in years. They are currently 7-19, the worst club in the American League apart from the White Sox. Their starters have a collective 5.21 ERA, which is better than just the White Sox and Rockies out of the 30 MLB clubs. Valdez has a 3.38 ERA in his career and should help stabilize the group as long as he’s pitching like his usual self. If Javier and Urquidy are able to come back soon, that could further strengthen things.
Elsewhere on the roster, the team is allowed a 27th man for the Mexico City Series, though it has to be a position player. Per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, the Astros will have first baseman/outfielder Trey Cabbage as their extra body.
It’s unclear if the Astros intend to have Cabbage around for just the games in Mexico or a longer stay, but it will perhaps be a situation worth monitoring since the club has been getting atrocious production from the first base spot this year. Earlier this week, MLBTR’s Anthony Franco took a look at the struggles of José Abreu, who is now hitting .065/.132/.081 on the year. Jon Singleton has started in Abreu’s place a few times lately. His line of .244/.326/.293 is far better than Abreu’s but is still below average, translating to a 88 wRC+.
Cabbage has generally hit a ton in the minors but also had his share of strikeout problems, a trend that has continued this year. Acquired from the Angels in the offseason, Cabbage has struck out in 31.9% of his Triple-A plate appearances this year and also walked in 23.1% of them. He has three home runs and is hitting .271/.440/.486 for a 137 wRC+ while also stealing seven bases. That’s pretty similar production to his time in Triple-A last year, when he hit 30 home runs, stole 32 bases and struck out 30% of the time.
Hotdog 2
Lol at the Astros. Their garbage can guys have fallen off
Hotdog 2
And 9/11 was 23 years ago
Shadow Banned
Cheaters got two of their cheating players back
sultan of swat
Still a dynasty
thomasg1951
While they are at it release Abreu.
Warden of the North(acoss13)
White Sox will take Abreu back paying league minimum, but I don’t think the Astros are ready to give up on him, not yet…
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Will McCullers ever pitch again??? He’s like the lonzo ball of the mlb
Gwynning
I’m starting to think Lance McCullers Senior has a better chance to get some starts…
Warden of the North(acoss13)
Lance pitched in 2022 no? Jeez…
Gwynning
47.2 innings acoss! =(
Warden of the North(acoss13)
Gwynning,
Jeez he’s been out for a while now. Lance hasn’t pitched since the Astros eliminated the White Sox in the playoffs. That’s sad on so many levels…
mlb fan
“Ever pitch again”..I believe the McCullers, Hader and Abreu deals(and possibly cheating sanctions)prematurely shut the Astro’s playoff window. They’re as good as cooked for 2024.
Justanotherstrosfan
I was thinking about him as I watched last night’s game. “BURY ME IN THE H” was a good rally call for a new co tract but if you do a deep dive into him he’s always I hurt. He’s like an 85/5 mil/yr cheerleader or bullpen. Coach at this point. When he’s on, he’s really good but he just can’t start so maybea move to the pen would help him.
Old York
Just in time for playoff run.
C Yards Jeff
As season goes on, if Astros keep losing and Orioles keep winning, they trade? Stowers and Norby for Verlander plus major cash to Orioles. Once a ‘Stro, Stowers gets reps at 1st base in addition to his OF work.
sultan of swat
Verlander not worth a top 5 guy any longer. Certainly not as a rental.
BKS1110
He’s still pitching like a #1 and he has an option for 2025. I don’t know if they’d give up Stowers for JV but he still carried massive value, especially since the Mets are paying so much of his salary.
C Yards Jeff
Neither Stowers or Norby are top 5 guys and they are definitely blocked in Baltimore. That said, agreed, maybe too steep a cost for Baltimore. How about just Stowers but less cash consideration back to Baltimore?.
Oh, Verlander still pretty decent at keeping his era in low 3s.
kmk1986
Take a pick France or arighetti to be sent down both been awful
Johnny utah
Whats goin on with houston this yr? Injuries, ineffectiveness
they must have run out of trash cans to bang on
Paleobros
Steve it looks like you’re stuck on guys stuck in the past my guy.
Johnny utah
Astros trash can jokes will never go out of style or not be funny. Altuve will spend the rest of his life in the cheater hall of fame with bonds & clemens. No matter how much houston fans cry about it or pretend it didnt happen or say it happened 7 yrs ago or 77 yrs ago. I’d be embarrassed to call myself a fan after that stuff went down. And to top it off not a single player even got a slap on the wrist. An embarrassment for manfred & the sport & the houston franchise
jjd002
Now ask yourself why none of the players got punished.
joec 3
Must be miserable living in Utah
casorgreener
@ Johnny Utah
You can cry about cheaters forever. The Astros 2 championships will fly forever too. Nobody here in H-Town is tripping on that!
sword24gorsh
Altuve was great even when the Astros themselves were losing over 100 games annually.,
BKS1110
Who is “they?” Alex Bregman, the only guy left who used the system?
Astrosfn1979
And he was a 23 year old in his 1st full season. Not exactly in a position to stand up to the veterans.
humphrey x boegarts
well isn’t that a fine how do you do?
5TUNT1N
Good luck with the Mexico City teams, giants played the first one their and the players/personnel were mostly ill afterwards.
❤️ MuteButton
Sure that’s been a huge problem, but the real problem has been the bullpen. Obviously that was not expected with the guys they have.
Roper
Most hated team in USA – The Trashtros. Time to rebuild. No farm system because of the stripped draft picks….all because of trash cans. Fact, Fact, Fact. Get over it!
casorgreener
Don’t forget the 2 titles baby! We appreciate the love…and the hate!
SweetBabyRayKingsThickThighs
Why do they only get an additional position player for Mexico? Every hit is a homer down there.
Karensjer
Rays sure didn’t last year, even with the 12-0 start. They could’ve been trouble in the playoffs with Glasnow, McClanahan, Springs, Rasmussen, and Eflin.
sword24gorsh
Jon Singleton Is making the MLB minimum. I am not so certain that he is the odd man out.