Pirates Offseason Outlook After Framber Valdez News
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates showed interest in one of the best free agent starting pitchers, but those reports soon came and went as he ended up elsewhere.
Left-handed starting pitcher Framber Valdez signed with the Detroit Tigers on a three-year, $115 million deal, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.
BREAKING: Star left-hander Framber Valdez and the Detroit Tigers are in agreement on a three-year, $115 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Valdez, 32, gets the highest AAV ever for a left-handed pitcher as well as the highest for a Latin American pitcher. Huge move for Detroit.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 5, 2026
The Pirates reportedly had interest in Valdez, which was reported eight hours prior on Feb. 4 by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, before Passan reported that he signed with the Tigers.
While the Pirates likely never had a chance in signing Valdez, they still have a roster need, which they would've filled by landing the star southpaw.
Why the Pirates Were Interested in Valdez
The Pirates need left-handed starting pitching for next season, and general manager Ben Cherington has stated that they want exactly that this offseason.
Cherington did add two southpaws to their bullpen, in free agent Gregory Soto on a one-year, $7.75 million deal, plus adding Mason Montgomery in the trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Pittsburgh has a sensational rotation, with 2025 National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes, veteran Mitch Keller and rookies in Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler, but all of those pitchers are right-handed.
Valdez is left-handed, but not just that, he was one of the top free agent pitchers around and would've helped the Pirates in many ways.
He had a relationship with new Pirates pitching coach Bill Murphy, who was his pitching coach the past four seasons with the Houston Astros.
Valdez also goes deep into games and has pitched more than 175 innings per year the past four seasons and has pitched in at least 28 games each of those seasons.
He would've combined with Keller as two veterans who take on a large inning load, ease pressure on the bullpen and also on both Aschraft and Chandler, who will likely be on innings-limits for 2026.
The Pirates have also missed out on some top bats like Kyle Schwarber, Kazuma Okamoto and Eugenio Suárez and have extra payroll to give out to another to player.
Pittsburgh was never seriously in on Valdez, according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and that $38 million AAV is far from what the Pirates would be willing to spend.
The Pirates now look elsewhere for that left-handed pitcher that will help them in the rotation.
Where Do the Pirates Turn to Now?
The Pirates still need a left-handed starting pitcher and there are two names that stand out amongst rest.
José Quintana and Tyler Anderson, former Pirates pitchers, are two southpaws that they reportedly have interest in and would work for them.
Quintana joined the Pirates for the 2022 season, signing on a one-year, $2 million contract and had a solid showing with the team after a poor 2021 campaign, where he posted a 6.43 ERA.
Stat | Total |
|---|---|
Record (Starts) | 3-5 (20) |
ERA | 3.50 |
Innings Pitched | 103.0 |
Strikeouts/Walks | 89/31 |
Batting Average Allowed | .251 |
WHIP | 1.27 |
Anderson signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract ahead of the 2021 season, as another rental left-handed pitcher.
Stat | Total |
|---|---|
Record (Starts) | 5-8 (18) |
ERA | 4.35 |
Innings Pitched | 103.1 |
Strikeouts/Walks | 86/25 |
Batting Average Allowed | .251 |
WHIP | 1.20 |
Both pitchers are veterans that have the experience the Pirates would like and have familarity with the franchise and PNC Park too.
Those two pitchers would also cost much less and would come on likely one-year deals, which is beneficial for the Pirates, with an impending lockout coming on Dec. 1 that might put the 2027 season into peril.
Other free agent left-handed starting pitchers still available include Patrick Corbin, Wade Miley, Nestor Cortes, Jordan Montgomery and John Means, the latter of whom ruptured his Achilles tendon in December.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.