As the Mets search for a top of the rotation starter, they are “among the favorites” for free agent left-hander Framber Valdez, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
Per Feinsand, the Orioles are also viewed as a top suitor for Valdez.
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In addition to Valdez, Feinsand reports that the Mets are one of the teams most interested in free agent starters Tatsuya Imaiand Michael King.
Additionally, Feinsand links the Mets to Ranger Suarez, but lists his most serious suitors as the Astros, Cubs, and Orioles.
As far as the 32-year-old Valdez, he has been a workhorse over the last four seasons while posting a 3.21 ERA and 1.15 WHIP across 767.2 innings.
After leading the American League in innings pitched in 2022 (201.1 IP), Valdez hasn’t really slowed down. He fired 198.0 innings in 2023, 176.1 innings in 2024, and 192.0 innings this past season.
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His ERA in 2025 was 3.66 — the highest it’s been since 2019, when Valdez was working mostly in relief. But while the ERA was a tick high, there wasn’t much cause for concern elsewhere, as Valdez’s WHIP, hit rate, walk rate, home run rate, and strikeout rate were all right around his career averages.
It’s also worth noting that Valdez has excelled over the course of his career despite never being an advanced stats darling.
Part of the reason why he’s able to perform so well while not blowing hitters away is his elite ground ball rate, which was in the 97th percentile in 2025. Valdez’s sinker — which he relied on 44 percent of the time this past season — also graded out strongly, ranking in the 91st percentile.
When it comes to Valdez’s advanced stats, there are some causes for concern. The biggest one is that his curve ball and slider — his two main secondary pitches — both graded out poorly in 2025. That was a stark difference from the prior three seasons, so perhaps it was just a one-year blip.
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There was also troubling moment with Valdez this past September, when he seemingly intentionally crossed up his catcher in order to hit him with a pitch — and showed no remorse after. For his part, Valdez claimed it was unintentional.
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