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Valdez is still holding out hope that he can avoid season-ending finger surgery, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.
Valdez fractured the ring finger on his throwing hand when it was struck by a comebacker Tuesday. The initial news he heard from doctors was that he'd have to undergo a season-ending procedure, but that's apparently not quite a guarantee. Given that the surgery would knock him out for the entirety of the year but presumably wouldn't affect his 2022 campaign, it makes sense for him to first explore some alternative options, as going through with it in March or May would probably have the same ultimate outcome. In the meantime, the Astros signed Jake Odorizzi on Saturday to fill his spot in the rotation in the short term and possibly beyond.
