How This NL Central Team Shakes Up Framber Valdez's Market

Framber Valdez remains unsigned with less than a week remaining until pitchers and catchers report to spring training. It's certainly surprising, but it may only be a matter of time before he signs. Several teams have been linked to him so far this offseason. It remains to be seen if he will take a short-term deal or get the long-term deal he wants.

However, a new suitor has emerged in the Valdez sweepstakes. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Pittsburgh Pirates have jumped into the conversation and are said to be an "aggressive suitor" for the star left-hander.

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Pirates shaking up Valdez's market

Sep 7, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) walks off the field during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

"The Pittsburgh Pirates are trying again. And their latest target is the biggest remaining name on the free-agent market: left-hander Framber Valdez," Rosenthal reported.

"Thwarted in numerous attempts to find additional offense, the Pirates have emerged as one of the most aggressive clubs to pursue Valdez, according to people briefed on the matter."

The Pirates already have Paul Skenes, Jared Jones and Mitch Keller in their starting rotation. Adding Valdez to the mix would give them arguably the best rotation in Major League Baseball and could even catapult them into contention for the first time since 2015. That was the last time they made it to the postseason.

Facing their rotation, with Valdez in the mix during a postseason series would be a tall task for opponents. The Pirates don't have the funds that the bigger-market teams have, so if they do sign Valdez, they'll likely make it a short-term deal with an opt-out clause or two.

But this changes a lot with Valdez's market. The usual suspects are of course in the mix. Teams like the Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres make sense. But now the Pirates have emerged as a dark-horse suitor.

The expectation will likely be that he ends up with a more consistent contender, but the Pirates can't be counted out. They already tried for Eugenio Suarez and Kyle Schwarber, missing out on both. But they've shown that they have a desire to build a better team, and an extra team in the mix could force others to ramp up their offers for the left-hander. We'll see how this affects his market.

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