*Editor’s Note: Shortly after posting, the Rangers traded for LHP MacKenzie Gore from the Washington Nationals.
With Spring Training right around the corner, the Major League Baseball offseason has hit a fever pitch.
In just the past week, players such as Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette and Freddy Peralta have all found new homes. Cody Bellinger returned to the New York Yankees in another big free agent moment.
With top names flying off the board, one remains. That player is Framber Valdez.
Last man standing
The former Houston Astro started this offseason as one of the best arms on the market. As it stands, he is the last of the frontline starters remaining.
Valdez has seen many of his potential landing spots close. The Toronto Blue Jays went after Dylan Cease, the Boston Red Sox landed Ranger Suarez and of course, the New York Mets just recently landed Peralta.
It feels as though the big market teams have made their moves. It would not surprise me to see the Mets continue to spend money in free agency, but the sense is that the team is content with its current roster.
The Baltimore Orioles are a team in desperate need of more starting pitching. Valdez would instantly improve their starting rotation. Both sides have been connected all offseason but have yet to become a pair.
The Wildcard
If the Mets and Orioles do not end up signing Valdez, there is one wildcard team to keep an eye on. That club is the Texas Rangers.
Texas had a lot of money coming off the books this past season. As it stands, their payroll heading into 2026 is roughly 22 million dollars less than last year.
The top two starting pitchers in the Rangers’ rotation are Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi. These two will enter next season at 37 and 36 years of age, and both have contracts expiring after the 2027 season.
With financial relief in sight and a need for another starting pitcher, making a move for Valdez would be a worthwhile investment for Texas. The Rangers are a veteran club with a real chance of winning the AL West in 2026. Health is their top priority, but an upgrade in their rotation could be the difference between missing out on the postseason once again.
The left-hander is familiar with the team and stadium from his time in Houston. In seven career starts at Globe Life Field, Valdez has a 2.31 earned run average and 42 strikeouts across 50.2 innings pitched.
A deal in the five-year/130 million dollar range, similar to Suarez’s deal in Boston, could do the trick.
I would keep an eye out for the Texas Rangers and Framber Valdez as we get closer and closer to pitchers and catchers reporting.
Baseball Stock photos by Vecteezy
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