The right amount of seasoning can elevate an already superb dish to gourmet status.
Former Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez agreed to a three-year, $115 million contract with the Detroit Tigers this offseason. While the ace ultimately decided to go to the Motor City, it is fair for the New York Yankees to wonder if they should have taken a calculated risk and signed the 32-year-old to a multi-year deal.
While many clubs might have had concerns about Valdez, given his incident with catcher César Salazar in September, his durability and athletic reputation should have made him a prime target for general manager Brian Cashman and the Yankees’ front office.
“Framber Valdez is well respected in our clubhouse. He’s got a ton of friends. His work ethic is impeccable. He’s strong as a bull. He posts every day and wants the ball. He’s someone I want to go on the battlefield with,” Astros manager Joe Espada said on ‘Foul Territory' in November.
“I understand the reputation because of one event, one thing that happened. People might reach conclusions (about) that, but I’ve been around him for six or seven years. And if I’m going into a dog fight, I want this guy to be right there next to me.”
Framber Valdez has been consistent on the mound
From a purely statistical standpoint, Valdez has been one of the sport's most efficient starters since his breakout season in 2020. Across 188 games and 1080.2 innings, the left-hander has gone 81-52 with a 3.36 ERA.
The Sabana Grande de Palenque was highly effective in 2025. Through 31 starts and 192 innings, Valdez posted a 13-11 record along with a 3.66 ERA, a 1.245 WHIP, and a 3.37 FIP.
According to Baseball Savant, he ranked in the 70th percentile in terms of Pitching Run Value. While the two-time All-Star only ranked in the 40th percentile in walk rate and the 55th percentile in strikeout rate, he finished the campaign in the 97th percentile in terms of ground ball rate.
Valdez might not be considered an utterly dominant pitcher, but his marks show that he’s earned the right to be regarded as one of MLB’s most trustworthy forces on the bump.
Yankees' clubhouse culture could have aided any potential growing pains
Based on several reports, there is a strong possibility that Valdez’s September incident was overblown. While it was not the first time that he had quarrelled with a catcher about a particular pitch call, such instances have not been habitual. Further, it does not seem as though these instances stem from disrespect; rather, they arise from genuine confidence and competitive flair.
“Heat of the moment got to us. He apologized after,” Salazar told Chandler Rome of The Athletic. “He’s great. There wasn’t anything bad about it. I just pressed the wrong button and I was expecting another pitch.”
The Yankees boast one of the league’s best rotations. Even though Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt will likely miss the beginning of the regular season due to injury, others such as youngster Cam Schlittler and All-Star Max Fried will surely help New York begin the season with confidence.
Valdez would have been a fiery addition to a well-decorated room that is defined by resilience and a will to win. Even if there were reasons to be concerned with his character, veteran voices such as Cole and Rodon could have helped a new talent mesh with the club and learn to trust catchers such as Austin Wells and Ben Rice.
The Yankees traded for former Miami Marlins pitcher Ryan Weathers this winter, but were not particularly active in the starting pitcher market. While they brought back both Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough, New York did not acquire a top-end starter who could plausibly lead another rotation. Signing outfielder Cody Bellinger might have been their main priority, but bringing in a strong arm like Valdez could have been a move that set them apart from improved American League East contenders like the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays.
As currently constructed, the 2026 Yankees’ rotation seems like a recipe that could help them land a postseason berth by the end of the regular season, but they might have inched closer to pennant contention had they chosen to sign Valdez.
