Former Astros Pitcher Framber Valdez Passed Up By Cubs Following Recent Trade

Astros former ace, Framber Valdez, is still on the free agent market and the Cubs, initially a top team to sign him, trades for Edward Cabrera instead.

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We are a month away from players reporting to their respective teams for spring training, and former Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez has yet to find a home. Early on, several teams were predicted to sign the veteran All-Star, such as the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, and Chicago Cubs.

Cubs Make Recent Trade

The Chicago Cubs have acquired right-hander Edward Cabrera in a trade with the Miami Marlins that sends top outfield prospect Owen Caissie and two other hitting prospects to Miami, sources tell ESPN. Deal is done and official. Players are being informed now.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 7, 2026

While there have been no rumblings of pitcher signings from Baltimore or New York, the Cubs recently made a transaction, sending away two top prospects (No. 1 and No. 11) and third baseman Edgardo De Leon to the Miami Marlins in exchange for starting pitcher Edward Cabrera.

Cabrera is coming off his career-best season with Miami and longest workload. In 2025, the 27-year-old pitched to an 8-7 record, a 3.53 ERA in 137.2 innings with 150 strikeouts. Adding him to a Cubs rotation of Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, Cade Horton, and Shota Imanaga is huge if the team wants to get back in playoff contention. Additionally, Cabrera at 27 is earning just $3.7 million heading into 2026 and is under three more years of team control.

Why Cubs Preferred Cabrera Over Former Astros' Valdez

The Cubs economic decision to use a low-risk, high-reward option impacts Valdez's price point with two months left in the offseason before Opening Day starts.

Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report expects Chicago to offer the 31-year-old a four-year, $114 million contract. But with the acquisition of Cabrera, who is younger, has room to develop, and has team control for the next three years, it looks like they are swinging toward a different direction.

But why? Why are the Cubs not capitalizing on a southpaw that has been a workhorse over the last few years and eats innings? One of the main reasons could be team philosophy and recency bias. It's also why the Astros are no longer suitors following the recent signing of Tatsuya Imai.

Valdez' Bitter End With Astros

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Valdez is seeking a significant long-term deal, potentially $150-220 million over at least six years, but given his age and his rather controversial 2025 season, teams are reluctant to grant his wish.

Towards the end of his tenure with Houston, Valdez seemingly fell apart, going 1-7 with a 6.16 ERA in his last 10 starts after dominating most of the first half of the regular season.

Along with many other factors, he was a large reason why the Astros failed to make the postseason for the first time in nearly a decade.

One of these putrid starts included the infamous "Catcher Incident," in which he threw a fastball at battery mate César Salazar's chest after a miscommunication, followed by a Trent Grisham grand slam. This raised questions about his control, team leadership and temperament, even if it was called a "cross-up."

Cubs Can Sign Framber, But Don't Seem To Want To

Even if a pitcher's stuff is stellar, temperament and leadership are also what dictate a team to sign a valuable player for that type of lucrative contract. According to Spotrac, the Cubs 2026 payroll is around $200 million. They currently have $40-50 million to use before they get into the first-tier luxury tax threshold. Based on a financial standpoint, Chicago is very capable of giving Valdez everything he could possibly want on a contract.

However, recent bias kills. It's very obvious as to why teams such as Chicago, the Mets, and the Orioles aren't calling his name. It's also why the Astros felt the need to let him walk, prioritizing Hunter Brown as the new ace.

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