Former Two-Time All-Star Wants Astros To 'Find Some Oil Money' To Re-Sign Ace

The Houston Astros could lose another one of their high-profile players next offseason, which is why a former two-time All-Star wants the team to find a unique way to keep him around.

Mar 27, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez (59) reacts to the end of the second inning against the New York Mets at Daikin Park | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros won their first series of the year against over the weekend.

After a roller coaster of an offseason where multiple star players and past World Series champions departed, the Astros came into the first set of their campaign against a New York Mets team that was deemed winners of the winter following their record-breaking signing of Juan Soto.

Yet it was Houston, who many pundits deemed to be taking a step back, who walked away as winners.

The Astros took two of three on the strength of their pitching, getting an Opening Day victory on the back of Framber Valdez's seven scoreless innings that allowed the bullpen to secure the win after giving up just one late run.

Those are the types of performances the left-handed ace routinely gives this team, and it's also something that could be coming to an end at the conclusion of the season.

Valdez will become a free agent, and with Houston not working on an extension to keep him with the team long term, it seems like he'll be another homegrown talented player this franchise will let walk out of their clubhouse.

Finances would be the main reason for that.

In a vacuum, the Astros would love to keep the 31-year-old atop their rotation for the remainder of the 2020s. But with how their payroll is currently set up, there's a good chance they won't meet the top-of-the-market price that another team will likely offer him.

That's a risk.

Hunter Brown looks like a future ace, but it's never a good idea for contending teams to let elite pitchers leave the organization.

And that's why two-time All-Star Dontrelle Willis wants Houston to do whatever it takes to re-sign Valdez.

"Sell some brisket, do whatever you gotta do, to me, you can't lose him ... You have to have someone who throws strikes that can miss back, especially in this ballpark where I've given up a lot of home runs in that Crawford Boxes ... So, nah, they'll find some oil money. They'll find something for him to keep him in an Astros' uniform," he said to Chron.com.

At this point in time, keeping him around doesn't look likely.

Valdez has already admitted he's eyeing free agency once the year ends.

Maybe Houston is able to find some cash so they can keep him around, whether that's from selling brisket or stumbling upon some oil money like Willis is suggesting. But unless something like that happens, this fan base should prepare for another high-profile departure.