Cardinals Could Capitalize On Slow Market For Former Astros Ace

The St. Louis Cardinals should be back to work at the start of next week as the holiday season officially wraps up. Entering 2026, they had already made some big trades, sending both Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras to the Boston Red Sox.

They also signed Dustin May to a one-year contract, but they want one more veteran starter to boost their starting rotation. The Houston Astros have seemingly moved on from Framber Valdez, as Will Sammon reports that they never made a compelling offer.

With Valdez’s market moving slowly, the Cardinals could take advantage and bring in a top-tier arm on a short-term, high-dollar value contract.

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The Cardinals Aren’t Done Yet

Sep 14, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Cardinals still have work to do this offseason with the calendar having now flipped to 2026. They need one more veteran starter.

While it might be unlikely that they end up with an ace, Cardinals insider Jeff Jones stated earlier in the offseason that it’s not impossible if a high-value starter’s market doesn’t materialize.

Valdez’s market has yet to move this offseason, so the Cardinals could maybe look at giving him a short-term, high-value contract. That would give them another solid trade chip if they are out of contention at the deadline.

The 32-year-old left-hander is a two-time All-Star and 2022 World Series champion. In 31 starts with the Astros last season, he went 13-11 with a 3.66 ERA and 187 strikeouts over 192 innings of work.

He would bring a little extra swing-and-miss to a Cardinals rotation that could really benefit from having more after years of being more of a pitch-to-contact staff. And if the Cardinals were to outperform their expectations, they would have a proven ace at the top of their rotation for the stretch run of the 2026 season.

The Cardinals shouldn’t back away from the opportunity to land a bigger fish than what they had originally intended. Valdez’s market hasn’t gained much traction, so the Cardinals have a perfect opportunity to capitalize on that and make a big splash that will certainly receive high marks from the fanbase.

It will be interesting to see if Chaim Bloom decides to strike and do something unexpected to add some pieces to the rebuilding Cardinals roster for 2026 and beyond.

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