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The New York Yankees could be staring at a golden opportunity. Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez entered the season as one of the top impending free agents in baseball. Now, after a bizarre and highly scrutinized moment with catcher César Salazar, his market value might be tumbling at just the right time for the Bronx.
A Rift That Changed the Narrative
Valdez made headlines last week when he appeared to ignore Salazar’s signals in a start against the Yankees. The lefty fired a pitch that crossed up his catcher and hit him squarely in the chest protector. Just two batters earlier, Valdez had served up a grand slam to Trent Grisham. The optics of the incident—whether frustration or miscommunication—have already had ripple effects.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that at least one team has removed Valdez from its free-agent board entirely. Scouts have openly questioned his composure—a shocking development for a pitcher who has built a reputation as a playoff-tested ace.
That cloud of controversy is exactly where the Yankees could pounce. If the rest of the league decides the baggage outweighs the upside, New York may be able to land a frontline starter without engaging in a nine-figure bidding war.
Why the Yankees Should Move
Despite the noise, Valdez remains one of the most durable and effective left-handers in the sport. Through 176.1 innings this season, he owns a 3.42 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and 171 strikeouts. That line is consistent with his career arc. He is a steady arm capable of eating innings while neutralizing both righties and lefties.
His Statcast profile underscores that dependability. Since 2018, Valdez has consistently limited quality contact. He is holding opposing hitters to a career .285 expected batting average and .349 expected slugging percentage. His sinker, thrown 43.7% of the time, remains his bread and butter, generating ground balls at an elite clip. Pair it with a curveball he uses nearly one-third of the time, and he offers a two-pitch mix that can dominate when he’s commanding the zone.
The numbers show that even with occasional command lapses, Valdez maintains value. In 2022, he posted a sparkling 2.82 ERA with a 3.31 FIP across 201 innings. In 2024, he delivered a 2.91 ERA and 3.41 FIP while opponents hit just .233 against him. Even this season, where the controversy looms large, the underlying metrics—3.42 ERA, 3.74 FIP, .250 opponent batting average—signal a frontline pitcher still performing above league average.
For the Yankees, the timing couldn’t be better. Their rotation has been patchy behind Max Fried. Also, Gerrit Cole may be out for at least the first month of the 2026 season. The mix of young arms and veterans hasn’t given Aaron Boone a reliable playoff blueprint. Valdez, 31, still offers multiple years of top-tier production, especially in a ballpark that rewards left-handed ground-ball pitchers.
If public perception shaves tens of millions off his free-agent price, the Yankees could gain a double advantage: weakening the Astros by removing their ace while fortifying their own October arsenal. For a front office under constant pressure to deliver championships, it’s the kind of calculated gamble that could change the balance of power in the American League.
Valdez insists the incident with Salazar is behind him. Rival executives may not buy it. That skepticism could be New York’s best chance to land one of the few available aces in the market, at a discount.
Alvin Garcia Born in Puerto Rico, Alvin Garcia is a sports writer for Heavy.com who focuses on MLB. His work has appeared on FanSided, LWOS, NewsBreak, Athlon Sports, and Yardbarker, covering mostly MLB. More about Alvin Garcia
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