Framber Valdez is one of the most reliable pitchers in the Houston Astros’ rotation, someone both the team and fans can count on. The 31-year-old Dominican Republic native made his MLB debut on August 21, 2018, and has spent eight seasons with Houston. Growing up, Valdez played baseball just for fun, but it wasn’t until he started pitching at 16 that he really focused on the game. He quickly realized that pitching was his strongest skill and the path to a professional career.
After a few years of working on his pitching, Valdez was signed by the Astros as an international free agent in 2015 when he was 21. He was older than most players at that point, and some teams passed on him because of concerns about potential Tommy John surgery, but Houston decided to take a chance on him. That decision has clearly paid off, as Valdez has developed into one of the most dependable starters in the league.
Valdez has made a name for himself as a groundball pitcher. He was a key part of Houston’s 2022 season, helping the team win the World Series. He’s been consistent over the years, pitching well for most of his time with the Astros. His ability to induce ground balls has made him particularly valuable in high-pressure situations, especially with runners on base. This style has helped him limit home runs and keep the Astros competitive in close games.
Here’s a look at his season-by-season numbers per MLB:
2025 Regular Season: W‑L: 13–11, ERA: 3.66, G: 31, GS: 31, SV: 0, IP: 192.0, SO: 187, WHIP: 1.24
2024 Regular Season: W‑L: 15–7, ERA: 2.91, G: 28, GS: 28, SV: 0, IP: 176.1, SO: 169, WHIP: 1.11
2023 Regular Season: W‑L: 12–11, ERA: 3.45, G: 31, GS: 31, SV: 0, IP: 198.0, SO: 200, WHIP: 1.13
2022 Regular Season: W‑L: 17–6, ERA: 2.82, G: 31, GS: 31, SV: 0, IP: 201.1, SO: 194, WHIP: 1.16
2021 Regular Season: W‑L: 11–6, ERA: 3.14, G: 22, GS: 22, SV: 0, IP: 134.2, SO: 125, WHIP: 1.25
2020 Regular Season: W‑L: 5–3, ERA: 3.57, G: 11, GS: 10, SV: 0, IP: 70.2, SO: 76, WHIP: 1.12
2019 Regular Season: W‑L: 4–7, ERA: 5.86, G: 26, GS: 8, SV: 0, IP: 70.2, SO: 68, WHIP: 1.67
2018 Regular Season: W‑L: 4–1, ERA: 2.19, G: 8, GS: 5, SV: 0, IP: 37.0, SO: 34, WHIP: 1.24
Valdez also earned All-Star selections in 2022 and 2023 and threw a near no-hitter in 2023. He’s been strong in the postseason and has been considered for the Cy Young Award multiple times. Now that the 2025 season has ended, Framber Valdez is set to become a free agent, leaving a lasting mark on the Astros.