Astros in Uproar as Clubhouse Reaction to Framber Valdez’s Petty Revenge on Teammate Comes Out

On Tuesday, Sept. 2, Astros starter Framber Valdez had a rough outing against the Yankees, giving up six runs in five innings. And Houston dropped the game 7-1. But it wasn’t the tough start that grabbed the spotlight, but what happened right after he gave up a grand slam. Reportedly, right after giving up the grand slam to Trent Grisham, Astros catcher Cesar Salazar signaled for Valdez to step off. Instead, Valdez went ahead and fired a sinker. The pitch completely crossed up Salazar and nailed him in the chest protector, leaving everyone a bit stunned and confused.

Hence, Valdez’s reaction on the mound had some people questioning whether he might have taken things out on a teammate. Afterward, Valdez explained, “I called for that pitch, I threw it, and we got crossed up. We went down to the dugout, and I excused myself with him, and I said sorry to him, and I take full responsibility for that.” However, according to some whispers inside the clubhouse, the incident may have rubbed a few teammates the wrong way.

“Sources tell me tensions rose in the Astros clubhouse last night, after the loss, when players confronted Framber Valdez for his in-game actions involving Cesar Salazar,” Astros insider Michael Schwab reports. “The argument escalated, and coaches eventually stepped in to calm the situation. While the intent behind the pitch remains unclear, Valdez’s initial refusal to address Salazar frustrated many in the clubhouse.”

Well, fans are already ripping into Valdez for what they see as reckless behavior toward a rookie. And now, if the reports are true, things inside the Astros clubhouse might not be all that smooth either. Still, for their own good, the team has to move on. With 24 games left as of Wednesday, Houston can’t afford to let internal drama derail the push to the finish line. Notably, they sit atop the AL West at 76-63, and slipping up now could cost them.

And since Valdez has already apologized, the best thing for the clubhouse is to put this behind them and stay focused on the bigger picture.

Time for Valdez might be coming to an end with the Astros

“I’m sure they’re going to compare him to Max Fried, who got the record for a left-handed free agent at age 32, $218 million,” MLB insider Jon Heyman projected about Valdez.

Reportedly, Framber Valdez is set to hit free agency at the end of the season. And he’ll be one of the top starting pitchers available, if not the best. For the uninitiated, the Astros’ left-handed pitcher is a two-time All-Star, a World Series champion, and boasts a career ERA of 3.32. And he’s also cracked the Top 10 in Cy Young voting three times.

According to Baseball Savant, Valdez sits in the 98th percentile for generating ground balls. But his strikeout rate is more middle-of-the-pack, around the 57th percentile. Still, that ability to get grounders lets him go deeper into games. Hence, despite the recent emotional outburst, there’s no doubt about what Valdez can do from the mound.

However, there’s no clear word yet on whether the Astros plan to keep him. But after the recent incident with Salazar, it’s possible the team could decide to move on. And even if they want to retain him, though, it’s going to take a major offer. Spotrac projects his next contract at six years and about $205 million—roughly $34.2 million per year.

So, that’s just under Max Fried’s deal, but as the best lefty starter on the market, Valdez could easily surpass that number. But the real question now is whether this dust-up affects his value in free agency. Or if teams will look past it and pay up for his track record.