New York Mets among the favorites to land star ace

The New York Mets are reportedly one of two teams favored to sign left-handed ace Framber Valdez.

Jul 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) pitches against the Texas Rangers in the first inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

With the Winter Meetings just days away, the free agent market is expected to start heating up.

Starting pitching remains a need for just about every team in the league, with the New York Mets at the top of that list. The best available free agent starter on the market right now is Framber Valdez, the longtime ace of the Houston Astros. And it looks like there may be movement on that front.

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Mets are one of two teams (the Baltimore Orioles being the other) named “among the favorites” to sign Valdez.

Per @Feinsand, the Mets and Orioles are "among the favorites" for Framber Valdez.

"Baltimore GM Mike Elias was in Houston’s front office during Valdez’s first four seasons in the organization, while Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns was the Astros’ assistant GM… pic.twitter.com/FC84Jf6lu6

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) December 5, 2025

Why Framber Valdez makes sense for the Mets

Valdez, 32, is coming off another strong season where he posted a 3.66 ERA over 31 starts spanning 192 innings, a hallmark of his ability to pitch deep into games. Last season was actually a bit of a down year compared to the standard Valdez has set since making his debut in 2018. From 2022 through 2024, Valdez finished in the top 10 in the American League Cy Young race each year, while also making valuable postseason starts.

In Feinsand’s article, where he mentions the Mets as a favorite, he also notes the connections both the Mets and Orioles front offices have with Valdez. Mets President David Stearns was the Astros’ assistant general manager when Valdez originally signed with the organization.

The biggest concern with Valdez may be his makeup and if teams believe he’s worth a long-term commitment.

Feinsand expanded on that concern, writing, "There have also been some character questions after a highly publicized cross-up incident in which he drilled his catcher in the chest with a fastball after giving up a grand slam," Feinsand said. "Valdez went to the GM Meetings to sit down with clubs, presumably to allay fears about that situation. The lefty also struggled down the stretch in 2025, going 2-7 with a 6.05 ERA in his final 10 starts."

As Feinsand mentioned, when the General Manager Meetings took place in Las Vegas a few weeks ago, Valdez reportedly showed up to meet with teams. However, at that time, Andy Martino of SNY reported that the Mets were not among the clubs to speak with the lefty, perhaps signaling limited interest.

Read More: Mets seemingly not interested in free agent ace

But as things often do in the offseason, a team’s stance can shift quickly. The Mets have also made several franchise-altering moves since then, trading Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for Marcus Semien and signing reliever Devin Williams to a three-year contract.

The Mets' interest in Valdez is hardly surprising, especially for a team desperate for an ace-caliber starter after watching its rotation collapse in the latter half of the season.

As things currently stand, their rotation consists of Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Sean Manaea, and Kodai Senga. Adding an ace-caliber pitcher like Valdez would significantly bolster the staff and give the Mets a true Game 1 starter in the postseason, should they return there.

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