Framber in midseason form with Opening Day start locked in
Alyson Footer
@alysonfooterWEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The Framber Valdez-Sandy Alcantara pitching matchup, though still just a Spring Training game, met expectations on Saturday afternoon at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches.
The aces of their respective pitching staffs, the two essentially breezed through their planned four-inning starts during the Marlins-Astros game in West Palm Beach, Fla. No surprises, no hiccups, and certainly no reason to believe they¡¯re not each eyeing the same day on the calendar when these games are going to start mattering a whole lot more soon.
¡°Both of the starters look like Opening Day starters,¡± manager Joe Espada said, following the Astros¡¯ 6-4 win over Miami. He then added with a small laugh, ¡°Which ... I¡¯m not saying that. I¡¯m just saying they¡¯re ready for the season. Two of the best in the game.¡±
Espada formally named Valdez his Opening Day starter on Sunday, making official what was known all along, and which was punctuated during the left-hander¡¯s strong outing the day before against the Marlins. Valdez is building his pitch count in Florida, and he¡¯s lined up on the schedule so that it¡¯ll be his turn in the rotation when the Astros host the Mets a week from Thursday at Daikin Park.
Valdez characterized his six-strikeout performance against the Marlins as ¡°one of my best days in Spring Training.¡± Keeping with his normal routine that he executes this late in the spring every year, Valdez focused on ¡°just being consistent and getting outs -- the sinker, the curveball, and just getting pitches in the zone.¡±
He¡¯ll likely have one more outing while the team is still in Florida, with an extra day of rest built in somewhere along the way. That¡¯ll line him up for March 27 against the Mets, at which time he¡¯ll earn the distinction of making the most consecutive Opening Day starts by a Houston left-hander with four, surpassing Dallas Keuchel (2015-17).
Looking back at prior seasons, Valdez pointed to 2022 as special, and one he¡¯d like to repeat. Valdez was the model of consistency that year, logging 201 1/3 innings and 194 strikeouts while recording a 2.82 ERA.
It¡¯s that reliability that gives the Astros optimism as they enter a season with a slightly different look. Currently, position battles are still prevalent in several areas of the roster. Bullpen spots are open, and young position players considered long shots when camp first started (Cam Smith, Zach Dezenzo) have played well enough to give the front office more than enough to chew on as they mull the roster.
And one of the biggest questions when camp opened still lingers -- exactly where in the field is franchise icon Jose Altuve going to get the bulk of his playing time?
One question that does not have to be answered between now and when camp breaks is how the top of the rotation will shake out. Valdez takes pride in providing that anchor, even amid questions that linger elsewhere.
¡°We adapt to changes. Changes happen every year,¡± Valdez said. ¡°So just putting the work in and just going out to the mound and putting the work in, that¡¯s what gives you that stability.¡±
¡°He¡¯s one of the best in the game,¡± Espada said. ¡°We know when he¡¯s on, he can go through any lineup. He can do it in six, seven innings of work with 80, 90 pitches. He has established himself as one of those guys you can lean on. And he knows it.¡±