New York Mets Named Potential Trade Suitor for Houston Astros Ace

Does trading Framber Valdez make sense for the Houston Astros?

Oct 1, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez (59) walks off the mount 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 are coming off what is considered to be a disappointing season by their standards, as they didn’t reach the American League Championship Series.

It is one of most impressive feats in sports that the Astros were able to battle for an ALCS Title for seven straight seasons, but the upstart Detroit Tigers were able to end that impressive streak this season.

Even though they lost, Houston still has a lot of reasons to believe that they will be a contender once again in 2025. However, they do have a couple of big decisions to make regarding key players and that will be starting with Alex Bregman this offseaon.

The All-Star third baseman is hitting free agency as the best player at his position and one of the best hitters in the entire class. The slugger is set to make a lot of money this offseason, and while the Astros certainly want him back, they have to be thinking about the free agency next year as well.

After the 2025 campaign, Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez will both be free agents as well, as a lot of the core and best players for Houston are set to be paid.

Due to a couple key players coming up in free agency and a lot of money likely needed to keep them, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently linked the New York Mets to Valdez as a potential trade suitor.

While the thought of trading the ace of the staff with the team in win-now mode might seem crazy, it could make sense for the Astros. While the depth of the starting rotation was certainly tested for Houston in 2024 with a lot of injuries, that unit is still arguably the deepest part of the team.

If Houston were to trade the southpaw, they would certainly need to bring in another arm or two, but it would likely be for far cheaper than what Valdez will receive on the open market after the 2025 season.

Furthermore, the return for their ace would likely be fairly substantial, which could be a good thing for a team that could use some more talent in the farm system, and that has some holes in their lineup as well.

For the Mets, with most of their starting rotation hitting free agency, the organization is clearly going to be looking to make a big splash in that area this winter. While going for a free agent like Corbin Burnes will likely happen first, trading for a pitcher like Valdez could be a smart idea as well.