Valdez will likely have his contract purchased from Triple-A Nashville in order to make a spot start this week for the A's, ESPN's Enrique Rojas reports.
The A's need a spot starter to fill in for Kendall Graveman (shoulder), who is on the DL and expected to miss just one start. That means Valdez, who would have started on Wednesday for Nashville, could be inserted into the rotation Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. A Wednesday start would give Jesse Hahn an extra day of rest, but Hahn is currently listed as the probable starter for Wednesday, so we will operate under the assumption that Valdez will start Thursday at home against the Mariners. Valdez, 32, has a 2.70 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 12:0 K:BB in 10 innings (two starts) at Triple-A this season, but has not pitched in the majors since 2010. He posted a 3.12 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 114:13 K:BB in 138.1 innings with the Astros' Triple-A affiliate last year, so elite control appears to be his top skill.