Why was Astros’ Framber Valdez cut early from the start?

Framber Valdez pitched the sixth complete game of his career last week in a road win over the Los Angeles Angels. The Houston Astros left-hander didn’t really smell the end of the inning Wednesday in San Francisco.

Valdez logged a season-low four innings and threw just 59 pitches in Wednesday’s 5-3 loss, Houston’s third loss in its last four games. Valdez did not report an injury when meeting with the media after the game. So why exactly was the two-time All-Star taken out so early in a crucial contest for the AL contender? Manager Joe Espada detailed postgame strategy.

“(Valdez’s) things were good, you just had to stay in the zone a little bit,” Espada told reporters at Oracle Park after the match. “Whenever you see an opponent hit the ball in the air with ease, you kind of know they don’t lack depth in the zone. It’s not their best day.”

Espada’s reasoning is quite sound. Valdez allowed eight hits and five earned runs in his four innings, totaling just one strikeout. And while Wednesday’s outing marks a disappointing result, it also speaks to a bigger problem for Espada’s club at the moment.

Houston entered 2024 watching a three-headed monster re-emerge at the top of its rotation. Cristian Javier is now out for the year, Justin Verlander looks increasingly striking and Valdez mixes his brilliant nights with strange snafus. Ronel Blanco is a potential All-Star and a heartwarming story. He’s also perhaps Houston’s only bankable rotation piece. That’s not a formula for success, especially given the offense’s inconsistent performance.

The Astros now return home after their frustrating stint on the West Coast, although the road won’t get any easier in the immediate future. Houston hosts the Detroit Tigers for a three-game series starting Friday, and Detroit will start two potential All-Stars on the mound in the first two games of the series. American League Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal will face the Houston lineup Friday, and resurgent right-hander Jack Flaherty is expected to pitch Saturday.

Houston right-hander Hunter Brown will take the hill in the series opener on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. CT.