Valdez allowed four runs on four hits and one walk while striking out two over 3.2 innings in Tuesday's split-squad game against the Mets.
Valdez made his third spring start, and this was the first blemish. He was already in competition for the No. 5 spot in the rotation, and now the Astros are looking for a temporary fill-in for ace Justin Verlander (lat). Others in the mix for those two spots are Josh James, Austin Pruitt and Bryan Abreu.