Framber Valdez of the Houston Astros reacts after throwing seven no hit innings against the Kansas City Royals after the seventh inning at Minute Maid Park on Aug. 30, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)
A starting pitcher can do his job above the expectations of his manager, his teammates, the media, the fans, but he can’t win games on his own.
All he can do is hope to silence the opposing bats and keep his team in the game, or at best, put them in a position to win.
Framber Valdez did just that for the Houston Astros twice this week, allowing three runs over 5 2/3 innings in an August 24 start at Baltimore, and then struck out seven over seven scoreless, hitless innings against Kansas City on August 30, earning him World Baseball Network’s International MLB Player of the Week honors. The Astros lost his start at Baltimore 3-2, but topped the Royals 3-2 in his second start of the week.
As it so often goes with starting pitchers, wins and losses don’t tell the entire story. Valdez earned a no-decision against the Royals and a loss in Baltimore, though he was just an out away from earning a quality start against the Orioles. Lifted after allowing a pair of two-out singles that loaded the bases, Valdez was charged with three earned runs when Jackson Holliday hit a bases-clearing double off Tayler Scott, who replaced Valdez.
Coulda, woulda, shoulda, sure. But Valdez had kept the Orioles off the board for 5 2/3 innings. It was a great outing nonetheless for Valdez, who’s 13-6 with a 3.11 ERA this season.
Add in his seven no-hit innings against the Royals on Friday night, and it’s been quite a week for Valdez, despite not having a pitching win (as useless as any arbitrarily awarded statistic can be) to show for it. Over the two starts, he has a 0.79 WHIP, an ERA of 2.13, and opposing hitters batted just .140 against him.
Valdez, a native of Sabana Grande de Palenque, Dominican Republic, has developed into a solid Major League starter, earning All-Star nods in 2022 and 2023 and throwing a no-hitter on Aug. 1, 2023.
He’s a big reason the Astros are in first place in the American League West.
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