The Asti Grape Stompers were expected to turn their rotation over to young arms like Emmet Sheehan and Shane Baz, but with both set to start 2024 on the Injured List, GM Terry Shelley was forced to the trade market. They found an ace Wednesday, agreeing to a deal with the Lake Merced Goutfish for left-hander Framber Valdez (2/$48) in exchange for a 2024 3rd Round Pick (38th Overall).
Valdez ranked 8th in scoring in 2023 with 485.0 points as the co-ace of the RDBL Champion Goutfish. He has worked the fifth-most innings of any starting pitcher over the past two seasons trailing only Sandy Alcantara, Gerrit Cole, Logan Webb, and Miles Mikolas. The lefty has returned three consecutive seasons of double digit wins, strong ratios, and a voluminous strikeout total and even threw in a no-hitter this season against Cleveland. Valdez was 9-7 with a 3.07 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP after completing that no-hitter on August 1st but was just 3-4 with a 4.29 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP from then on, which does not even include his very disappointing postseason where he allowed 12 earned runs and lost all three of his starts.
He will step in immediately as the frontline starter in the Grapes rotation with Pablo Lopez, Hunter Greene and activation Kyle Harrison expected to follow him.
The third round pick acquired will be the third such selection owned by the Goutfish entering the 2024 Draft.
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