By Zachary Howell

Copyright clutchpoints

The Houston Astros are in a tight race in the American League East. Framber Valdez took the mound against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, giving up a record-breaking home run to Cal Raleigh. On a team accustomed to dominance each season, Astros manager Joe Espada has his work cut out for him. Houston’s general manager, Dana Brown, faces the same challenge.

The Astros are unique compared to almost every other team in Major League Baseball. Brown built a dynasty that stretched over almost a decade by choosing when to let players walk away in free agency. He made smart moves when he let go of Carlos Correa, even though Houston reacquired him at the trade deadline this season. Brown and the front office could do the same with Valdez.

As a pure pitcher, Valdez is one of the best MLB has to offer. He and Hunter Brown formed a dominant one-two punch for Espada throughout the regular season. However, Valdez has two big things working against him if he wants to stay in Houston this offseason. The drama he introduced to the Astros this season and the big payday he desires don’t fit with the team’s wishes.

Houston has opened up its wallet to keep elite players on the team, giving long term deals to Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez. However, the Astros rarely do so with pitchers. Brown refused to give lucrative contracts to players like Gerrit Cole, letting other teams overpay for their services. That strategy and a great farm system has kept Houston in contention for years.

Despite the Astros’ philosophy, Valdez has a chance to improve his stock. Leading a deep playoff run would help his case as he pursues his next deal. Houston’s playoff run will determine his chances.

Valdez might be more trouble than he is worth

Valdez made headlines around the baseball world when he intentionally crossed up his catcher. Houston’s ace pitcher was frustrated during a start against the New York Yankees and decided to take his anger out on his teammate. That kind of play is all it takes for a team to lose faith in a player. The Astros had to put out a large fire in the aftermath of Valdez’s choice.

Espada is a fan of Valdez and is optimistic about his future. However, there is only so much he can forgive when it comes to how the player conducts himself. The Astros pride themselves on having a brotherhood in their clubhouse. Altuve, Alvarez, and other veterans have created one of the league’s best cultures. If Valdez proves to be harmful in that environment, the team will move on.

There were some doubts as to whether or not Houston’s ace could keep a good attitude after his incident. Since that start, Valdez has not repeated his behavior as he tries to lead a playoff push. Unfortunately for him, crossing up a catcher on purpose is not something that teammates or front offices forget about easily. No matter what they say, the Astros have lost a bit of trust in him.

Brown and Valdez have been Houston’s top pitchers for years. However, the latter is 31 years old, near the end of his prime. At a certain point, signing him to a long deal becomes a bad investment for the team that does it. The Astros front office and their general manager are too careful to make that kind of mistake. Valdez has to prove a lot to Brown this fall to earn a deal.

Valdez could be too crucial a piece for the Astros to move

Brown will finish somewhere in the middle of the AL Cy Young award ballot this season. The 27-year-old has become one of the league’s more dominant pitchers over the last couple of seasons. However, the staff behind him would be very shaky if Valdez moves on to a new team this winter. While it may be a risk worth taking, it could blow up in the Astros’ faces in a big way.

Amid his recent drama, Valdez is putting the final touches on another great season. Entering Saturday night’s start, the veteran’s ERA sits at 3.59 with a 12-10 record to go along with it. Both numbers took a hit against Seattle, but he is still among the league’s best on the mound. His kind of talent is tough to come by, even for a Houston team with a history of success in its farm system.

Injuries have played a large role in the Astros’ season. Espada was without pitchers like Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr. for large chunks of the year. Even when they came back, their production fell short. If Valdez puts together an impressive playoff run and Houston makes it deep, Brown and the front office may find themselves with no other choice in free agency this winter.