Framber Valdez, Jake Odorizzi to Start for Skeeters This Weekend

(SUGAR LAND, Texas) – The Houston Astros today announced that left-hander Framber Valdez and right-hander Jake Odorizzi will make rehab assignment starts for the Sugar Land Skeeters at Constellation Field on Saturday, May 22, and Sunday, May 23.

Valdez is scheduled to start at 6:05 p.m. on Saturday, with Odorizzi making a start at 6:05 p.m. on Sunday. The Skeeters will also be giving away Jose Altuve Astros replica jerseys to the first 3,000 fans in attendance for Saturday’s game.

Valdez made his first rehab assignment start for the Skeeters on Monday in Round Rock, throwing 47 pitches through three innings. It was the first appearance for Valdez since sustaining a left index finger fracture in his first Spring Training outing. Valdez went 3-1 with a 1.88 ERA in the 2020 MLB postseason and was named the 2020 Astros Pitcher of the Year by the Houston Chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA).

Odorizzi made his first rehab assignment start on Tuesday in Round Rock, throwing 57 pitches through three innings. He had not made an appearance since April 24 when sustaining a right pronator muscle strain. Odorizzi signed a two-year contract with the Astros in March and made three starts before being placed on the 10-day IL this season.

These will be the first two rehab assignment starts by Astros players at Constellation Field in the Skeeters’ history as the Astros Triple A affiliate. Announcements on potential availabilities for Valdez and Odorizzi will be made in the coming days.

Single-game tickets are on sale for the Skeeters first two home series of the 2021 season (May 20-June 1). People can visit sugarlandskeeters.com/tickets to purchase their tickets today.

For updates and more information on the Skeeters, please visit sugarlandskeeters.com and follow the Skeeters onFacebook, Instagram (@sugarlandskeeters) and Twitter (@SL_Skeeters).