All’s not going well for the Houston Astros at the moment. That’s also because of someone who doesn’t play for the Astros. It’s all about Garrett Crochet‘s contract—the Boston Red Sox signed him for a six-year extension worth $170 million. Now, this contract seems to be casting a shadow of doubt in the minds of an Astros player. 

Astros’ Dominican pitcher, Framber Valdez, who was signed in 2015 and made his debut in 2018, is probably not happy with the signing amount for the extension. Valdez is 31 years old now and has a lot more experience than Garrett Crochet. That’s probably one of the reasons he is eyeing a bigger deal. Think that makes sense?

Well, definitely, given the way Framber Valdez has performed in 2024. Valdez went 15-7 with a 2.91 ERA, 28 G, 176.1 IP, 169 strikeouts, and a 1.11 WHIP. That’s pretty astonishing, right? Absolutely! However, Garrett Crochet had a moderate 2024 regular season as well. He went 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA, 32 G, 146.0 IP, and 209 strikeouts. If Crochet is receiving such a large contract after only one season as a starter, why not Valdez, who has far more experience?

That certainly raises a lot of questions. So any hope that the Houston Astros had left to retain Framber Valdez might be gone as of now. Over the past few years, Valdez has established himself as the Astros’ star pitcher. Based on his output to date, it is clear that he will be looking for more. However, amid the chatter and talks surrounding the contract extension that is making it difficult for the Astros, it’s worth noting that Valdez’s performance was a bit on the lower side recently.

More bad news for the Houston Astros in their recent outing

Well, the Houston Astros conceded a 3-6 loss to the San Francisco Giants. But one thing that surprised everyone was Framber Valdez’s performance. Valdez has been the most valuable pitcher for the Astros for a long time, and he even managed to collect 16.4 fWAR since his starting days in 2020. However, there’s been a meltdown. Valdez’s sinker was elevated rather than being low in the strike zone. Due to this, the pitches weren’t in the right location every time.

Framber Valdez went 1-1, allowing five runs on the four hits he made and the four walks across the five innings he played on Wednesday, March 2. Although he struck out nine, the left-hander managed to give two home runs to Willy Adames in the first inning only. But that wasn’t the end! The Giants’ Luis Matos and Heliot Ramos also hit a solo home run and scored a pair of runs, ultimately resulting in the loss. That’s a worrying sign for the Astros, right?

Definitely! However, Valdez would like to make a good comeback in the next game at T-Mobile Park, which is considered favorable for the pitchers. They will be facing the Seattle Mariners, and Valdez would like to prove his mettle and ensure that there are chances of getting a better contract, just like Garrett Crochet.