MLB Rumors: One Free Agency Suitor No Longer Interested In Framber Valdez Following Incident

What should have been another strong walk into free agency for Framber Valdez has now turned controversial. 

The Houston Astros left-hander, set to hit the market this offseason, made headlines after a viral cross-up with catcher César Salazar during a start against the New York Yankees. On one pitch, Valdez appeared to ignore Salazar’s signals, then fired a fastball that nailed his own catcher in the chest.

One organization has already crossed Framber Valdez off their list of free agent candidates following the catcher cross-up incident, per @BNightengale

This incident could end up costing Framber millions of dollars in free agency. pic.twitter.com/QddXkNJYzw

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) September 7, 2025

Framber Valdez’s Viral Incident Clouds Free-Agent Future

Both Valdez and Salazar insisted afterward it wasn’t intentional, but the optics were bad. One MLB scout told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale their organization had already crossed Valdez off their list of free-agent targets after the incident. 

That reaction alone shows how costly the moment could be, with teams questioning Valdez’s maturity and clubhouse presence just as he prepares to command what once looked like a nine-figure deal.

There’s speculation that Astros pitcher Framber Valdez purposely crossed up his catcher Cesar Salazar and hit him with this pitch after Salazar told him to step off before allowing a grand slam pic.twitter.com/ds3c9MzQV6

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 3, 2025

On the mound, Valdez’s résumé still speaks for itself. He owns a career 3.32 ERA, two All-Star nods, and a World Series title. 

In 2025, he’s posted a 3.40 ERA with 166 strikeouts across 176 innings. But lingering concerns over attitude (from the Salazar cross-up to earlier public criticism of Astros coaches) may impact his value. 

Instead of setting himself up as one of the premier free-agent arms this winter, Valdez could be staring at fewer bidders and a smaller payday than expected.

Photo Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images