Deal completed: Framber Valdez has been acquired by the orioles in a spectacular trade with the Baltimore Orioles. The lefty has one year of arbitration left on his deal, projected at $18 million, before he hits free agency in 2026.

The Houston Astros turned a lot of heads this winter when they traded away superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker. This could be the turning of the page from the veteran Astros team that dominated recent postseasons. Houston seems to be heading toward a new era filled with young talent.

With that in mind, SBNation’s John Stolnis expects Astros ace Framber Valdez to be a prime trade candidate before 2025’s spring training. Stolnis recently revealed his expectation is that Valdez could be traded as early as this offseason if the Astros are looking to stockpile young talent.

The lefty has one year of arbitration left on his deal, projected at $18 million, before he hits free agency in 2026. “Valdez is slated to earn around $19 million in his final year of salary arbitration and will become a free agent after the season, the chief reason the Astros may decide the time is right to trade him,” Stolnis wrote. “Unlike Crochet, Valdez has a ton of postseason experience and is probably the best player potentially left on the trade market.”

The Astros would land a massive return if they deal Valdez. Due to age and team control, it wouldn’t quite be as loaded as the return the Chicago White Sox got for Garrett Crochet, but it would be a substantial haul of prospects.

The Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, and San Francisco Giants are just a few teams that come to mind as potential trade fits. Practically any team in baseball could use a lefty with the experience and talent that Valdez has to offer.