The New York Mets shook up the pitching market considerably when they acquired Freddy Peralta in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. Now, the Baltimore Orioles must look elsewhere to bolster their rotation.
Luckily for them, a premier option remains in free agency in the form of Framber Valdez. While he wasn't named specifically, franchises around MLB are expecting the Orioles to strike soon, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
“Rival executives expect the Baltimore Orioles to be the next team to pluck a front-line starter from the free-agent market now that the New York Mets are out of the mix after acquiring Freddy Peralta,” Nightengale wrote.
There are still plenty of strong pitchers available outside of Valdez. However, his addition would show how serious the Orioles are about competing in 2026 and beyond. Furthermore, the franchise was linked to the pitcher by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
“There has been no indication that Valdez’s market has changed much, though the Peralta trade likely takes the Mets out of the mix,” Feinsand wrote. “That leaves the Orioles as the most logical landing spot for the left-hander, though it remains to be seen whether the 32-year-old can land the long-term deal he’s seeking.”
Over his eight years with the Astros, Valdez put up a 3.36 ERA and a 1,053/389 K/BB ratio. He was named an All-Star twice and won a World Series with the franchise. The left-hander entered the offseason after pitching to a 3.66 ERA and 187/68 K/BB ratio.
The Orioles have been aggressive all offseason, trading for Taylor Ward while signing Pete Alonso and Ryan Helsley. Adding Valdez to the mix gives Baltimore their ace and makes them a much more serious World Series contender.
