The New York Mets have been one of the teams interested in starting pitching throughout the winter, and even after trading for workhorse Freddy Peralta, they may end up signing one of the bigger fish left on the market.
Houston Astros starter Framber Valdez, one of the least flashy yet most effective starters in baseball, remains unsigned despite a bevy of teams reportedly reaching out to express interest.
Valdez had a great 2025, pitching more than 190 innings and posting a 3.66 ERA in 31 starts. He is someone who does not have lights-out stuff, but eats up innings, limits runs, and stays healthy, even at the age of 32.
By all accounts, like every premier free agent, Valdez is after long-term money, though teams are — per usual — hesitant to lock themselves in to multiple years of an aging arm that will be in his mid-to-late 30s.
According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the Mets stand out as a notable landing spot for Valdez, especially since his market has not developed as expected and he does not have the long-term deal he is seeking.
“The Mets have also been closely connected to Valdez all offseason, though their recent trade for Peralta has lessened their need for a frontline starter,” Feinsand wrote.
“Still, given McLean’s inexperience and the fact that Holmes is only in his second season as a starter, New York could look to add another proven arm to the rotation.
“President of baseball operations David Stearns has never been one to give long-term deals to starting pitchers, but if Valdez becomes open to a short-term deal with opt-outs, he could become an appealing option for the Mets.”
What does the Mets rotation look like?
The Mets already have Peralta leading the line with veteran arms who had an up-and-down 2025 backing him up.
Sean Manaea, David Peterson, and Kodai Senga each had roller-coaster seasons, while Clay Holmes was a steady pitcher once again in 2025 and is poised to do the same in 2026.
Young righty Nolan McLean is one of the Mets’ x-factors, considering his potential and the promising flashes that he had.
Valdez would be a quality short-term option to support Peralta in the rotation, easing the burden on other veterans who will need to have bounce-back seasons.