Framber Valdez has not yet given up on shooting in 2021. He is considering avoiding surgery and rehabilitating his broken ring finger, with an eye on returning later this season, according to Jon Heyman of the MLB Network (via Twitter) Previous reports have suggested that Valdez may miss the entire season after being recommended for surgery. Clearly, a final decision has not yet been made.
Despite the signing of Jake Odorizzi under a two-year contract, the Astros, of course, would welcome a healthy Valdez back to the group. Still, the fact that Houston felt the need to finalize an agreement for Odorizzi less than a week after Valdez’s injury suggests that they are not so optimistic, writes Athletic’s Jake Kaplan. Even if Valdez returns, however, he is likely to lose a good deal of time.
One of the stars of the 2020 postseason, Valdez assembled his characteristic curved ball for an ERA of 1.88 in four playoff appearances, while eliminating 29 percent of his opponents. This effort was based on a quieter, but no less encouraging, 3.57 ERA / 2.85 FIP at 70 ⅔ innings during the regular season.