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The Houston Astros haven't gotten off to the best start, but there's worse news for Houston. The American League West looks to have five competitive baseball teams this season, which can't really be said for every other division.
The Los Angeles Angels and Athletics look quite competitive this season. The Seattle Mariners have one of the better offenses to begin the season, and the Texas Rangers have looked solid, too.
With that in mind, there's a chance the Astros could fall out of postseason contention, leading to the possibility of a few surprising decisions.
ESPN's David Schoenfield recently made quite a shocking prediction pertaining to the Astros. Schoenfield suggested the Astros could look to trade their ace, Framber Valdez, at some point this season.
"Certainly, Valdez would be an attractive trade ask and fits the prototypical deadline trade: a rental starter who can lead a playoff rotation," Schoenfield wrote. "Think Jack Flaherty last season or Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery in 2023 -- pitchers who helped lead their teams to World Series titles."
Trading Valdez would certainly raise some eyebrows, but with the potential for the Astros to fall out of contention, there's a real possibility they decide to move Valdez.
With the lefty on an expiring contract, he's an obvious candidate to be dealt away, especially considering the Astros couldn't afford to retain Alex Bregman. If they couldn't afford Bregman, it may be tough to afford to re-sign Valdez.
With that in mind, the chances of the Astros trading Valdez seem more likely.
In a deal for the lefty, Houston could likely net three or four top-30 prospects in return. He has quite a bit of value, especially with so many contending teams being starved of starting pitching.
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About the writer
Zach Pressnell is a Newsweek contributor based in Columbus, Ohio. His focus is MLB content. He has an extensive knowledge ... Read more