Astros Pending Free Agent Predicted to Land Massive Free Agent Contract

A huge contract is expected for Houston's left-handed ace this winter.

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Now that the World Series is over, it's time for baseball's offseason to begin. Players have begun officially opting out of contracts, and teams are putting together their target boards for free agency and potential trade targets this offseason.

As far as the Houston Astros are concerned, there are questions they are going to have throughout their roster. The biggest question surrounds the pitching rotation, mainly around the starters. Ace Framber Valdez is a free agent, and it feels like he has pitched his last game for the Astros.

The 31-year-old left-hander is looking for at least one more big deal this winter in free agency. Along with Dylan Cease of the San Diego Padres, he is expected to be a sought-after arm this winter. Matthew Pouliot of NBC Sports projected contracts for some of the top free agents this offseason, including a huge one for Valdez.

Astros Pitcher Framber Valdez Projected to Get Big Contract This Offseason

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Valdez is coming off a season that saw him go 13-11 with a 3.66 ERA in 192 innings pitched with 187 strikeouts. There was an issue at the end of the season with catcher Cesar Salazar, where he reportedly crossed up his catcher. That reportedly crossed him off of some teams' free agent lists, but in the end, someone will end up paying him, and Pouliot explains why.

"On paper, Valdez seems like the best pitcher available; he’s made 121 starts with a 3.21 ERA the last four years and shown no real decline in stuff in the process. Still, questions about his conditioning and attitude linger, and his recent postseason performances were particularly discouraging. It might serve to knock a year or two off of what will still be a very healthy contract,'' wrote Pouliot, who predicted a five-year, $150 million deal for Valdez.

As much as some teams reportedly crossed Valdez off their list as a potential free agent this year, some teams will be heavily in the mix. Some of the contenders and big clubs will look to add him this winter to round out a rotation that can contend in 2026.

Several teams have been linked to Valdez, but one wild card remains in Houston. Do the Astros feel that they can re-sign him and put everything behind them for the better of the club in terms of winning? Regardless, there will be a lot of teams after Valdez that see him as a piece of their rotation that gets them over the top in their division and into postseason baseball.

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