Valdez has been recommended for surgery to repair the fractured ring finger on his pitching hand, which would likely keep him out for the 2021 season, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.
Valdez will receive a second opinion on the injury before a decision on surgery is made, but the Astros are bracing for the possibility of the 27-year-old being sidelined for the entirety of the upcoming campaign. Even if Valdez avoids surgery, he'll almost certainly open the season on the injured list while he waits for the fractured digit to fully heal. Valdez's absence -- however long it might be -- should improve the odds of youngsters Luis Garcia and Forrest Whitley getting early opportunities out of the Houston rotation.