Valdez speeds up recovery from injury
Injured Astros lefthander
Framber Valdez is throwing all three of his pitches off a mound and “way ahead of schedule” during his rehabilitation from a fractured left ring finger, pitching coach Brent Strom said Tuesday.
“He’s extremely excited,” Strom said. “This is a very resilient, strong young man who has a high threshold for pain and really wants to get back desperately. So much to the point that he’s trying to press this faster than our medical (team) wants him to.”
Valdez remains at the Astros’ spring training complex in West Palm Beach, Fla., where he recently posted videos to social media of throwing sessions off a bullpen mound. Strom said Valdez is spinning curveballs and even throwing some changeups — two hurdles Strom said the lefthander cleared earlier than the team anticipated.
Strom deferred to Astros athletic trainer Jeremiah Randall for an exact timetable or schedule. Valdez’s next step is to face hitters. According to Strom, the lefthander will need “at least two to three” lengthened outings at the spring training complex before he is ready to rejoin the major league rotation.
Strom surmised if Valdez could get built up to “five solid innings” in Florida, he could return to the major leagues and “give us 80-100 pitches easily.”
Strom spoke glowingly Tuesday of Valdez’s endurance and resilient arm, two attributes that gave the Astros hope their blossoming 27-year-old southpaw could throw a full season for a starting rotation in desperate need of durability. Between the regular season and playoffs, Valdez threw a major leaguehigh 942⁄3 innings in 2020, earning American League Cy Young votes with a breakout season.
Valdez fractured his finger while fielding a ground ball during his Grapefruit League debut on March 2. A second opinion later that month concluded no surgery was required, giving hope Valdez could return this season. Days after Valdez’s injury, Houston signed veteran
Jake Odorizzi to give the rotation another innings eater.
Odorizzi landed on the injured list Monday with a strained pronator muscle in his forearm, further clouding the rotation’s search for durability. Valdez’s return would end it.
“This is really a boost for us, especially in light of the Odorizzi situation,” Strom said. “Getting Framber back as soon as possible would really give a boost to this club . ... The entire team would love to have one of our leaders back.”
Báez hits bump in shoulder rehab
The Astros placed Pedro Báez on the 60-day injured list Monday after the veteran reliever suffered a setback during his rehabilitation from right shoulder soreness.
“He had a setback where he had some tenderness in his shoulder,” manager Dusty Baker said. “He’s been on (the injured list) 30 days or so, not quite 30 days, and it doesn’t like he’ll be back prior to the 60.”
Transferring Báez to the 60day injured list opened a spot on the 40-man roster for Jose
Altuve, who returned Monday after a 10-game absence due to health and safety protocols. Altuve contracted COVID-19 earlier this month.
Báez contracted the virus during spring training, missed almost two weeks of workouts, and was not ready for the start of the regular season. Earlier this month, Baker said Báez tried to ramp up too quickly and felt some shoulder soreness.
The latest setback clouds any timeline for Báez’s return. He signed a two-year deal this past winter after spending seven seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Odds and ends
Reliever Andre Scrubb will return to the Astros “hopefully by the next road trip,” manager
Dusty Baker said Tuesday. Scrubb hasn’t pitched this season while battling shoulder inflammation. He must throw on back-to-back days to clear his final hurdle before rejoining the major league team, according to Baker . .... The Astros are still unsure who will start Thursday’s series finale against the Mariners in place of Jake Odorizzi. Baker and pitching coach
Brent Strom listed Kent Emanuel and Luis Garcia as options to start the game . .... Baker won his 1,903rd game as a manager Monday, passing Gene Mauch for 13th place on the all-time wins list. Casey Stengel is 12th with 1,905.