Depending on what the free agent market looks like for starters next offseason, the Astros are going to be hard-pressed to find a replacement for Valdez. The farm system is somewhat depleted, and the cost of free agent pitching is rising.

The 31-year-old made just eight starts in the 2022 regular season and three more in the 2022 postseason. He has not taken the mound in an MLB game since. He has missed each of the last two full seasons due to injury, and is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day this season either.

An Alex Bregman return to the Houston Astros, with whom he's spent his entire professional career to date, is back within the range of possibilities for the free-agent infielder. That's especially the case now that Jose Altuve is reportedly willing to relocate to the outfield to make room for Bregman in a Houston infield that now includes Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker.