Houston Astros Ace Lands Big One-Year Contract to Avoid Arbitration

The Houston Astros and their top left-handed pitcher agreed to a one-year deal that ensures he’ll be in the rotation in 2025.

Oct 1, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez (59) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers in game one of the Wild Card round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Minute Maid Park. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros and their ace, Framber Valdez, avoided arbitration on Thursday evening by agreeing to a one-year deal, per ESPN.

The deal is reportedly for $18 million. This is Valdez’s final arbitration season.

After 2025, he will become a free agent for the first time, unless he and the Astros are able to work out a long-term extension this year or a free-agent contract after the season.

Houston made one move earlier this offseason to avoid a potentially high arbitration deal or a long-term extension by trading outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs. Tucker was due an estimated $15.8 million in arbitration, according to MLB Trade Rumors.

Valdez was due a projected $17.8 million.

He is coming off a 2024 in which he went 15-7 with a 2.91 ERA. He struck out 169 and walked 55 in 176.1 innings, finishing seventh in AL Cy Young voting and 15th in AL MVP voting.

The Astros needed Valdez to make a run at yet another AL West title and, hopefully a run back to at least the ALCS, a seven-year streak that was snapped last postseason. Houston lost Justin Verlander to the Giants earlier this week as he signed a one-year deal.

The left-hander has been a big part of Houston’s success in recent years, as he was in the rotation for both their World Series appearance in 2021 and their World Series title in 2022.

During that 2022 season, the now-31-year-old made his first All-Star appearance, went 17-6 with a 2.82 ERA and struck out 194 in an AL-high 201 innings.

He followed that in 2023 with a 12-11 record, a second All-Star Game nod and 200 strikeouts in 198 innings. He also threw his first career no-hitter.

Valdez was selected All-MLB first-team in 2022 and second team in 2024.