EYEING ULTIMATE ‘W’
Valdez is poised to clinch season-long consistency with his 20th overall victory
By technical standards, Framber Valdez has no chance of being classified a 20-game winner in 2022. The lefthander was 17-9 in a season that saw him become one of the American League’s preeminent pitchers.
But throw in victories in the American League Championship Series and Game 2 of the World Series, and Valdez has received the winning decision 19 times in games that count. (He also won the All-Star Game.)
A 20th would be the biggest win of his life.
One victory from a second championship, the Astros will hand the ball to Valdez on Saturday as they try to put the Philadelphia Phillies away in Game 6 of the World Series at Minute Maid Park.
Valdez limited Philadelphia to a run, four hits and three walks in 61⁄3 innings as the Astros posted a 5-2 victory in Game 2 to even the series. Now he becomes Houston’s first man to pitch with a series lead on the Phillies, who were befuddled by Cristian Javier, Justin Verlander and a nonpareil bullpen in dropping Games 4 and 5 (the former a no-hitter) at Citizens Bank Park,
Valdez says he is buoyed by the performances of his fellow pitchers.
“Definitely helps a lot,” the lefthander said Thursday night after the Astros assumed a 3-2 series lead. “It helps for me to stay positive. Obviously, our guys did an amazing job here (in Philadelphia). I think that does help set the tone.”
His teammates would probably concur he helps set the tone for them. Valdez established a major league single-season record with 25 consecutive quality starts in 2022, finishing with a 2.82 ERA. In three postseason starts, including a no-decision in the ALDS against Seattle, he has a 1.42 ERA and 0.95 WHIP with 24 strikeouts in 19 innings.
“This guy has been as consistent as any pitcher that I’ve ever had throughout the course of the year, and he just continued to do the same thing during the playoffs,” Dusty Baker, who is nearing the end of his 25th season as a major league manager, said after Game 2. “He gets big outs. He makes big pitches.”
Valdez also offers an ideal arm to throw against a Phillies team that relies so heavily on homers. Dating to J.T. Realmuto’s decisive clout in Game 1, Philadelphia has scored nine of its last 12 runs via the long ball. The Phils hit none against Valdez, whose 19 outs recorded against them in Game 2 included nine via strikeout and nine via ground balls (including two for double plays).
The outing clearly made an impression on Rob Thomson.
“His curveball was pretty good. His put-away pitches were good,” the Phillies manager said. “His sinker was fantastic.”
It was a curveball that induced a double-play grounder from Matt Vierling and a 96.1 mph sinker that produced the same result from a slightly more renown Phillie named Bryce Harper.
“Our team is usually extremely sharp behind him because they’re alert, especially on the infield,” Baker said of Valdez. “You know you’re going to get a lot of balls, and you’ve got a great chance to turn a double play or two, which helps keep his pitch count relatively low and keep him in the ballgame.”
Valdez’s last outing was like no other in his major league career in one respect. It was the first witnessed by his father, who suppressed his fear of flying to jet from the Dominican Republic to Miami to Houston. What did father tell son afterward?
“He was just really proud of me, what I’ve been able to accomplish,” Valdez said. “Also, he thanked me for just pushing him to be able to come to the game. We celebrated that night, and yeah, he just feels really proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish this year in the majors.”
Valdez said his father will be back at Minute Maid Park on Saturday, when his son, who has six postseason victories in his career, could break a tie with Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez for most by a Dominican. And what better way to do it than in a World Series clincher?
“I’m just going to try to continue doing what I’ve been doing all season,” Valdez said. “Just try and attack hitters early, try to breathe, try to stay calm, try to meditate . ... I’m really excited for this opportunity.”