It is the second straight start for the lefty, who will oppose White Sox righty Dylan...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Framber Valdez is the Astros’ opening day starter, a fact known throughout spring training but only made official on Friday when Major League Baseball made a league-wide announcement.
Valdez has been on schedule all spring to pitch Houston’s regular-season opener on March 30 against the Chicago White Sox at Minute Maid Park. Manager Dusty Baker all but confirmed the decision last week, but opted to wait until the league reveal to make any official declaration. Valdez will oppose White Sox righthander Dylan Cease, who finished runner-up to Justin Verlander in American League Cy Young voting last season.
It is the second straight opening day start for Valdez, the presumed ace of Houston’s pitching staff and one of the organization’s biggest turnaround stories. The 29-year-old southpaw struggled in each of his first two major league seasons before authoring a career renaissance in 2020.Dating to 2020, Valdez has a 3.05 ERA in his last 63 regular-season starts. With help from Astros sports psychologist Dr.
Valdez led all American League starters with 201 ⅓ innings last season and finished fifth in Cy Young voting. Valdez earned his first All-Star selection and became the first pitcher in franchise history to win the game. Valdez started and won Houston’s World Series-clinching win against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6, too.
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