The Houston Astros are willing to go above and beyond to get better, but they won’t.

All-Star left-hander Framber Valdez will not be moved by the Houston Astros this winter, according to a column written by Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports on Sunday. However, Nightengale did point out that more than five clubs have previously inquired about Valdez and that the Astros are at least considering offers.

In addition to Justin Verlander, the 30-year-old Valdez is the greatest arm in Houston’s rotation and was selected to the AL All-Star team in two consecutive seasons. Valdez finished 12-11 with a 3.45 ERA and 200 strikeouts in 31 games in 2023.

Valdez has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate for the Astros due to his significant salary increase in 2023 (from $3 million to $6.8 million) and his potential for additional raises during his last two seasons of arbitration eligibility. However, it appears that Houston is happy to merely assess Valdez’s trade value for the time being (possibly with greater receptivity to trading this bigger name instead).

Though the Los Angeles Dodgers have been among the busiest clubs during the offseason, general manager Brandon Gomes made it abundantly evident on Monday that the season is far from over.

Gomes stated that despite having previously acquired Tyler Glasnow through a trade, the Dodgers are still actively seeking a starting pitcher. Gomes described that as a “one-for-one swap,” as the Dodgers had to give up Ryan Pepiot, a possible rotation piece, in order to complete the transaction.

It is evident that the Dodgers have no intention of exchanging pitching for better pitching. Whether through free agent signings or trades from their pool of position players, depth appears to be a major priority as well. For example, they are said to be among the favourites to sign Japanese sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto.