To say the offseason has been a disappointment so far for the New York Mets would be an understatement. President of baseball operations David Stearns traded Brendon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for Marcus Semien before the MLB Winter Meetings.
After the Winter Meetings, the Mets signed free agent Jorge Polanco, who had a great postseason for the Seattle Mariners. What happened in between that is what has been frustrating for New York fans.
At the Winter Meetings, closer Edwin Diaz signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and first baseman Pete Alonso signed with the Baltimore Orioles. That leaves Stearns looking to make a big move in free agency. Ryan Finkelstein of Just Baseball made a prediction that would be huge for the Mets.
Mets Predicted to Sign Free Agent Starting Pitcher Framber Valdez
Finklestein updated some predictions he made before the Winter Meetings, and one of them favors Stearns and the Mets. After originally predicting Valdez to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays, he has switched that to the Mets. After Dylan Cease signed with the Blue Jays, that took them out of the running for Valdez. Then, Toronto signed Cody Ponce to a three-year, $30 million deal, adding more starting depth.
“The Mets are clearly in the market for a top arm, and could be shopping prospects for Freddy Peralta or Joe Ryan as we speak. Still, if they decide to look towards the free agent market to find a starter, Valdez would look awfully good pitching in front of the newly formed double play combination of Francisco Lindor and Marcus Semien,” wrote Finklestein.
Valdez fits what the Mets need at the top of their rotation in an ace. He had 31 starts and went 13-11 with a 3.66 ERA. He struck out 187 in 192 innings with a 3.8 WAR. The 31-year-old has spent his entire career with the Astros.
Framber Valdez Would Be Ideal For Mets’ Rotation
Finklestein is predicting that Valdez to get a five-year, $160 million contract with a $32 million AAV. He is also someone who throws a lot of innings and has pitched in a lot of big playoff games during his time in Houston.
“There was a stretch this past season where the Astros won 13 consecutive games started by Valdez. One of the best groundball pitchers in baseball, Valdez is an innings-eater who is invaluable for the regular season. He also has plenty of experience pitching well in October,” wrote Finklestein.
When Valdez is on, he is one of the game’s top pitchers. Sliding him into the Mets’ rotation would be a big move for Stearns. If New York is going to compete with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2026, it needs a top-of-the-rotation arm.
The Mets have also poached Devin Williams from the New York Yankees in free agency to add depth to their bullpen for 2026. Now they need a big arm for the rotation. After losing Alonso and Diaz in free agency, Stearns needs to make a splash before it gets too late, and Valdez is the perfect splash to make and is needed.
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