The Houston Astros loaded up for another postseason run at the trade deadline, acquiring several players who hope to keep them atop the American League West. Carlos Correa, Jesús Sánchez, and Ramón Urías could all make an impact down the stretch and could help Houston make a deep run into October.
While that sets up an exciting two months for Astros fans, it also brings questions about the future. The Astros haven’t been shy about spending money, but there’s an alternate universe where general manager Dana Brown kept his eye on what’s ahead and made a preemptive move to keep their championship window open.
It revolves around an ace who stuck around through the deadline but likely won’t return next season.
Framber Valdez Is as Good as Gone After Astros’ Moves at Trade Deadline
While the Astros have had injuries throw their season into chaos, starter Framber Valdez has been one of the few constants. A player who has placed in the top 10 of Cy Young Award voting in each of the past three seasons, Valdez is having one of his best seasons in 2025, going 11-4 with a career-low 2.62 ERA and a career-high 4.6 wins above replacement.
To be clear, the Astros should want Valdez anchoring their rotation down the stretch, and there were no rumors that he was going to be moved at the deadline. But there’s an alternate universe where the Astros could have made a forward-thinking move.
Valdez is set to become a free agent after this season, and it’s unlikely the Astros are going to pay him. Although he’ll be entering his age-32 campaign, other players with his track record made a killing on the market last winter, including Corbin Burnes ($33 million annual average value), Max Fried ($27.25 million AAV), and Blake Snell ($31.3 million AAV).
Burnes and Snell are former Cy Young Award winners, which may have driven their price on the market. But the sweet spot may be between Fried’s deal and the three-year, $67 million ($22.3 million AAV) Luis Severino signed with the Athletics this past winter, giving Houston a lot to think about even before adding Correa’s $31.1 million AAV to their payroll on Thursday.
The Minnesota Twins are picking up part of that bill, sending $33 million to facilitate the trade that brought the Astros star back to Houston this week. But it still saddles the Astros with a $225 million payroll, with Victor Caratini ($6 million) and Brendan Rodgers ($2 million) the only notable contracts coming off the books.
With Jeremy Peña also due for a raise on the $4.1 million he’s making in 2025, the Astros are running out of money to keep Valdez around beyond this season. They’ve also prepared for this possibility by acquiring Hayden Wesneski in the Kyle Tucker trade and also using several pitchers to MacGuyver their way to the top of the division.
It’s a credit to the Astros, who could have been shopping Valdez for a haul if they weren’t in contention at the deadline. But the last two months are shaping up to be a curtain call as Houston moves forward in 2026.