The New York Yankees need starting pitchers. Gerrit Cole is out for the season, Luis Gil is out until at least midseason, Marcus Stroman is on the 15-day injured list, and Clarke Schmidt, who appears to be fine, was still scratched from his last start.
Even with a healthy Schmidt, manager Aaron Booneâs staff has a significant drop-off after Max Fried and lately, Carlos Rodón.
Should the Yankees lose faith in the Will Warren project, they could look externally for solutions. For all of the Sandy Alcántara hopefuls, that is still a possibility, but perhaps Houston Astros star Framber Valdez makes more sense.
Could Framber Valdez be dealt?
A recent poll for MLB executives also revealed Valdez as a possible big-name trade deadline candidate. Here is what Mark Feinsand had to say:
âStarting pitching will always be in demand around the league, as teams are in constant search for healthy, effective arms to take the ball every five days.
Given the scarcity of such arms, the annual Trade Deadline chatter often revolves around the few starters who become available.
Even some of the best teams in baseball would benefit from the addition of another starter, so when we asked a number of executives who would be the biggest name moved prior to July 31, it was hardly surprising that a starting pitcher received more votes than anybody else.â
The votes were as follows: Alcántara (12), Luis Robert Jr. (5), Nolan Arenado (1), and Valdez (1).
The problem with Alcántara is not his slow start (8.42 ERA, 5.87 FIP over seven starts and 31 innings), but rather a team-friendly contract that will up his trade value. Alcántara still has three years left on his five-year, $56 million deal with the Miami Marlins.
Valdez, meanwhile, is a riskier option as a pending free agent, but would also demand a significantly cheaper package. A Yankees-Astros trade would also mean putting aside a bitter rivalry, but here is an idea that could benefit both franchises:
The Trade Pitch
New York receives: LHP Framber Valdez
Houston receives: OF Everson Pereira (No. 12), RHP Clayton Beeter (No. 20)
Pereira would be difficult to sacrifice given his encouraging numbers for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (.295 batting average, .941 OPS, 7 home runs through 78 at-bats) and highly regarded status as a prospect.
Beeter, who made three appearances in his 2024 debut campaign with the Yankees, was impressive. He recorded an okay 4.91 ERA and five strikeouts over three and 2/3 innings, but also had a stellar 1.26 FIP. He can still develop into a quality MLB arm, yet an up-and-down minor league season could make him more expendable, too.
This is a lot to ask for a rental, but Valdez would form a formidable southpaw trio with Fried and Rodón atop this rotation.
Since 2020, the Dominican Republic native has a 3.17 ERA, a 3.38 FIP, two all-star appearances, and four top-11 Cy Young finishes for the Astros.
Houston is currently 18-18 and in third place in the American League West. It also dealt Kyle Tucker this offseason for a young return, signaling a willingness to rebuild and part with expiring contracts.
At 31-years-old, Valdez is going to command a large payday this offseason, a cause for concern among New York fans. However, Aaron Judge is not getting any younger and the front office should do everything in its power to capitalize on his historic pace while he is still in his prime.
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