Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) tips his cap to the fans. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Astros Thank Framber Valdez With Official Farewell Message

Originally posted on Houston Astros on SI
By Dominic Minchella | Last updated Feb 10, 2026 8:00 PM ET

Pitchers and catchers have officially reported to spring training for the Houston Astros, and one player who was present on this report day for the last eight seasons, who is no longer with the franchise, is Framber Valdez.

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Valdez has officially signed a three-year deal with the Detroit Tigers, ending his tenure with the Astros. Since arriving in Houston, Valdez stood out as one of the best rotational pieces the franchise had during its dynasty era of baseball.

To this point in his career, Valdez is an 18.8 WAR player who posted an 81-52 record with a 3.36 ERA across 188 games (166 starts) with the Astros. He leaves Houston with the 10th most strikeouts in franchise history with 1,053.

Astros' Official Message to Valdez and Fans

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Astros took to their social media to acknowledge Valdez and some impressive accolades he collected throughout the seasons. The message can be viewed below.

"1 No-Hitter
2x All-Star
All-MLB First Team
A World Series Champion

Grateful for 8 years of La Grasa."

1 No-Hitter
2x All-Star
All-MLB First Team
A World Series Champion

Grateful for 8 years of La Grasa. pic.twitter.com/V066SYJg3x
— Houston Astros (@astros) February 10, 2026

The franchise wished Valdez the best as he moves on to play for the Tigers in Detroit. They are set to face the Tigers for the first time next season, come June 2026. Valdez will return to Houston from June 15 to 17, and then the Astros will travel to Detroit a few weeks later from June 25 to 28.

With Valdez's departure, the Astros rotation is headlined by Hunter Brown, who finished in third place in American League Cy Young Award voting last season. His upcoming season is projected handsomely by FanGraphs, as seen here.

Additionally, Houston made sure they filled the missing Valdez piece with the likes of Mike Burrows and Tatsuya Imai, both of whom will make their debuts for the franchise in 2026. Lance McCullers Jr., Christian Javier, and Spencer Arrighetti are all names to watch closely rotation-wise as well.

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

It may not be the same dominant pitching staff the Astros once had in their pursuit of championship glory, but it isn't a staff incapable of getting the job done. Houston has several names it can rely on in the rotation as it looks to return to the playoffs after missing the postseason last year.

Houston might not be the top team in the AL West anymore following the Seattle Mariners' dominant 2025, but they still have the pieces to surpass 80 wins this season, even with Valdez donning new threads.