Framber Valdez autonomy: one team has already crossed off its name

Last Tuesday, Framber Valdez allowed a grand slam to New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham, and just as he was about to make the shot, his catcher, Cesar Salazar, waved him off at the plate.

In the subsequent at-bat, Valdez threw a 93 MPH fastball that hit Salazar in the chest, as the latter was expecting a spin ball. The pitcher wanted revenge.

As can be imagined, the incident has sparked much debate, as the vast majority of those interviewed, including several Major League Baseball executives, seem to agree that the Houston Astros pitcher deliberately hit his catcher to send him a message after Grisham's long ball.

And it could even have a major impact on the 31-year-old's market this winter, as he will become a free agent at the end of the current campaign.

Sunday Notebook: MLB fired managers, after summer of reflection, are ready to return back to action armed with valuable experience and lessons learned https://t.co/no7yyxLrje

– Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) September 7, 2025

In fact, it seems that the domino effect has already begun. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, it could cost Valdez dearly in the coming months.

Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez's situation, in which he intentionally hit his own catcher or at least simply didn't care about hitting him in the chest with his fastball, could cost Valdez millions of dollars on the free agent market. One scout said his organization had already crossed Valdez off their list of free-agent prospects after the incident.

Valdez commands a salary of $18 million this season, and prior to the incidents, he could have been expected to initial a six-year pact worth over $200 million.

But with one Manfred Circuit team already out of the running, that may not be the case.

This content was created with the help of AI.