Throughout all of 2025, the impression has been that Framber Valdez was ready to put the Houston Astros behind him. Valdez wasn't shy about throwing the Astros' coaching staff under the bus, and the cross-up incident with Cesar Salazar put a spotlight on Valdez not being the best of teammates in the clubhouse. Once believed to be the top free-agent starting pitcher on the market, Valdez's free agency is a little more complicated now.
Looking beyond the drama off the field (and on the field) for Valdez, his struggles during the second half added to the Astros' collapse in September.