Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez blanked the Chicago Cubs over six innings of work in Sunday's 2-0 home win. He scattered five hits, walked two, and fanned six to improve to 9-4 through 17 starts. The 31-year-old yielded four earned runs to the White Sox back on May 2, but hasn't allowed more than three in the ten appearances since, and recorded nary a loss in that time frame. Valdez's 2.72 ERA is more than a full run lower than his expected one heading into this outing (3.83). However, regression shouldn't hit him too hard when the time comes, according to a 3.18 xFIP. He'll next toe the rubber later this week against the hosting Los Angeles Dodgers.

Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez (7-4) mowed down the Chicago White Sox on Thursday to collect his seventh win of the season. The Astros pulled out a 4-3 victory thanks in large part to Valdez, who struck out 12 over five innings of two-run ball. He scattered seven hits, issued just one walk, and generated 20 whiffs during the 95-pitch outing. Fresh off back-to-back starts of double-digit strikeouts, the 31-year-old boasts a 96:28 K:BB and a 3.10 ERA over 90 frames. Valdez has logged seven straight quality starts and will attempt to extend that streak Wednesday against the Athletics.

Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez (6-4) had a smash spot on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates and made the most of it. He worked seven innings, allowed four hits, two earned runs, walked three, and struck out 11 batters. The 11 strike outs were the most he's had in any start this season, and he lowered his season WHIP to 1.06 and ERA to 3.07. Valdez has now logged six consecutive quality starts and remains one of the top arms to deploy every week for fantasy managers. Next up for Valdez is another dream matchup against the Chicago White Sox, scheduled for next Wednesday. Fantasy managers can roll him out with confidence next week, as the White Sox have a bottom-five offense in all of MLB.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez allowed just one run while pitching a complete game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. He earned the win as Houston snuck by with a 2-1 victory. In addition to the one earned run over nine innings of work, Valdez's final line included three hits, one walk, and nine strikeouts. He improved to 5-4 on the year and saw his strikeout rate dip ever slightly to 8.42 K/9. Even more impressive are his 2.77 BB/9 and 56.5 percent ground ball rate. Very few MLB pitchers have demonstrated as much length as Valdez, who now has at least one complete game in each of the last five seasons. He remains a dependable option for the Astros and fantasy managers.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez had a strong start on Sunday, posting seven innings of three-run ball in a 4-3 win over the Texas Rangers. Valdez allowed six hits and a walk while striking out eight in a solid performance. It was the third start in a row of seven-plus innings for the lefty, who appears to have found his stuff again after a few rough starts early in the season. He now has a 3-4 record with a 3.57 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 59 strikeouts over 63 IP. While the numbers don't fly off the page, Valdez is one of the best bets for volume in all of baseball while maintaining solid ratios and strikeouts, making him an elite option in fantasy.

Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez turned in a gem in his team's 2-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday. Valdez allowed one run on six hits over eight innings while striking out seven and walking one, but had to settle for a no-decision in the outing. The veteran southpaw notched 14 swinging strikes in the outing while lowering his ERA to 3.54 on the year. Valdez will take a 2-4 record into his next start, which is scheduled for Monday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez got back on track Wednesday, holding the Milwaukee Brewers to one run over seven innings of work and picking up his second win in a 9-1 victory. Valdez scattered three hits and two walks while striking out seven in this one. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for Valdez and his fantasy managers this season, as he has followed up dominant starts with mediocre or even downright terrible ones multiple times. He now sits at 2-4 with a 3.94 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts over 48 IP. Hopefully, this performance is the first of many in a row. With his high upside, Valdez is still a must-start pitcher in all formats, regardless of his potential for a blow-up. His next outing should come next Tuesday at home against the Kansas City Royals, a team he just went eight strong innings against a few weeks ago.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez didn't get any run support on Saturday night in Kansas City, but he still went the distance in a complete game for the Astros, in a 2-0 loss. He allowed two runs on three hits in eight innings with five strikeouts and a pair of walks, but was outdueled by Michael Wacha and the Royals. Kansas City scored a run in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Mark Canha, and Vinnie Pasquantino added an insurance run with a solo home run in the fifth inning. The defeat drops Valdez to 1-3 on the year, but he lowered his ERA to 4.00 and his FIP to 3.65. He had gone at least six innings in four of his six starts this season, but this was the first time he reached the eighth inning. He'll hope to get more run support in his next outing, which is currently lined up for next Friday in a more favorable road matchup against the White Sox in Chicago

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez turned in his second disappointing start of the season in Monday's 8-3 loss to the Cardinals. Valdez pitched four innings, allowing seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits and a walk with three strikeouts. The 31-year-old has been uncharacteristically inconsistent in his first four starts of the season, allowing no combined runs in two of them and 11 combined earned runs in his other two. Overall, he is now 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA, a 9.82 K/9 rate, and a 3.27 BB/9 rate in 22 IP. Valdez's next matchup will be a tough one against the Padres. While fantasy managers may have drafted Valdez as high as their rotation ace, they may consider sitting him if they have other options, at least in roto leagues.

Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez (illness) will make his scheduled start on Tuesday at T-Mobile Park against the division-rival Seattle Mariners. It was unclear over the weekend whether Valdez would be able to make his start this week while he was dealing with fatigue and a sore throat, but the 31-year-old veteran southpaw will toe the rubber and should be started in single-year fantasy leagues. Valdez looked great on Opening Day on March 27 against the New York Mets, tossing seven scoreless innings in a win with two walks and four strikeouts. However, he gave up five earned runs while walking four and striking out nine in five innings for a loss against the San Francisco Giants his last time out on April 2. Fantasy managers will be hoping for an outing more along the lines of his season debut now that he's apparently feeling better.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (illness) might not be available for his next turn in the rotation, which is on Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners. Astros manager Joe Espada said the team is listing their starters for Tuesday and Wednesday as TBA for now. General manager Dana Brown said Valdez is dealing with some fatigue and a sore throat. It sounds like the Astros are going to wait and see how Valdez feels in a day or two before making a final decision on his status. Hunter Brown is scheduled to take the mound on Wednesday, but he could see his start pushed back depending on what happens with Valdez. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update in a day or so.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez was dominant on Thursday, tossing seven shutout frames while striking out four. There was never any real danger for the ace, as he scattered four hits and two walks throughout the game. He is coming off of a 2024 season where he posted a 2.91 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 169 strikeouts in 176 innings. He may not give you the strikeout upside of some other aces, but his reputation as a workhorse pitcher is becoming a rare occurrence in today's game. He is a true innings-eater who will provide great ratios as a matchup-proof option for fantasy.

Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez has been named the team's Opening Day starter on March 27 against the New York Mets, according to manager Joe Espada. Because Valdez doesn't have the high-end strikeout upside that other aces do, he's merely a low-end fantasy ace/high-end No. 2 option, and the 31-year-old Dominican southpaw will have a tough task on his hands in his first start of 2025. He makes up for his lack of strikeouts with an elite ability to induce weak contact, mainly in the form of ground balls. The two-time All-Star and former World Series champion went 15-7 in 2024 with a sharp 2.91 ERA (3.25 FIP) and a 1.11 WHIP with 169 strikeouts and 55 walks in 176 1/3 innings over his 28 regular-season starts. The veteran southpaw has also looked good this spring with a 2.53 ERA in his 10 2/3 innings, but Valdez only has one season of 200-plus K's.

Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez said the team has not approached him or his agent yet about a contract extension, according to The Athletic's Chandler Rome. Rome adds that it would probably be unwise for Valdez to consider signing any extension the Astros might offer him during spring training. The 31-year-old southpaw is in his final year of club control in 2025 and is scheduled to make $18 million this year. If he hits the open market next winter, which appears likely right now, Valdez should have no shortage of offers from other organizations after serving as Houston's ace the last three years. The Dominican hurler was an All-Star in 2022 and 2023 and had a 2.91 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 169:55 K:BB in 28 starts in 2024. There's a lot to like about Valdez, but his lower strikeout rate for an ace makes him more of a low-end No. 1 fantasy starter/high-end No. 2 than a high-end fantasy ace.

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Houston Astros and starting pitcher Framber Valdez have agreed to a one-year contract worth $18 million to avoid arbitration. The southpaw is expected to be among the top free agents following the 2025 season. Last summer, the 31-year-old posted a 2.91 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP across 176 1/3 innings of work. Valdez has made at least 28 starts over the past three seasons and logged at least 175 innings in each campaign. Last summer, Valdez generated a stellar 61.7% ground-ball rate, which placed him in the 99th percentile among qualified pitchers. He also limited hard contact with an excellent 5.3% barrel rate. Despite his modest strikeout production, Valdez remains one of the safest pitchers in fantasy baseball, given his ability to log a high total of innings each year and produce strong ratios.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez had another strong outing in Friday's 8-0 victory over the Diamondbacks, tossing seven shutout innings, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out seven on the way to picking up his 14th win of the season. The southpaw had a 1.59 ERA, 0.65 WHIP, and a 24.0% K-BB% over five starts in August and looks to have carried that momentum right on into September with his 15th quality start of the year. The 30-year-old now has a 2.97 ERA (3.21 FIP), 1.09 WHIP, and a 16.5% K-BB% in 2024. The 2x All-Star gets a favorable matchup his next time out when he faces the Athletics at home next Thursday.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez threw seven innings of a no-hit baseball in Friday's 3-2 victory over the Royals, allowing three walks and a hit batsman while striking out seven, but did not factor into the decision. The lefty was at 98 pitches so he would have gone well over his season-high pitch count had Joe Espada allowed him to stay in the game for the final two innings. Valdez has been great in August, even coming within one out away from a no-hitter earlier this month, posting a 1.59 ERA, 0.65 WHIP, and a 24.0% K-BB% over five starts. The 30-year-old has been good overall as well, logging a 13-6 record with a 3.11 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and a 16.6% K-BB%. His next start will come next weekend at home against the Diamondbacks.

Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez turned in a dominant outing Sunday in the team's 2-0 win over the Chicago White Sox. The left-hander shut out Chicago over seven innings with three hits and nine strikeouts to win his eighth straight decision. Valdez has been red hot and has lowered his ERA to 3.20 on the season with a 1.14 WHIP and a 13-5 record. The 30-year-old is dialed in lately and continues to be an excellent fantasy option.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez improved to 12-5 in Monday's 6-1 win over the Rays. Valdez pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits and a walk with nine strikeouts. The 30-year-old now owns a 3.38 ERA, an 8.40 K/9 rate, and a 2.89 BB/9 rate in 21 starts and 130 2/3 IP. His strikeout game has played up lately in particular, as he has totaled nine or more in four of his last six starts. Valdez has been a higher-end fantasy option throughout his career without particularly overpowering stuff, so the recent strikeout spike is an added bonus for fantasy managers. He should have a good chance to continue this spike in his next start against the White Sox.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez nearly made history in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Rangers. Valdez pitched 8 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on one hit (a home run) and three walks with five strikeouts. Valdez was one out away from his second career no-hitter, but he was pulled after allowing a two-run homer to Corey Seager. The 30-year-old has been a bit inconsistent at times this season but has overall been a higher-end fantasy option once again, going 11-5 with a 3.46 ERA, an 8.14 K/9 rate, and a 2.95 BB/9 rate in 20 starts and 125 IP. His next start will be a decent matchup at a mediocre Rays lineup.