Framber Valdez Fantasy Stats

Free-agent pitcher Framber Valdez "will probably end up in Baltimore," league sources told Jim Bowden of The Athletic. Valdez remains unsigned and is still waiting for the right offer as spring training approaches, and while he'd be an upgrade to every rotation in baseball, Bowden notes that some teams simply don't want to spend the money on the former Houston Astros ace. The southpaw accrued double-digit wins and at least 22 starts in each of the last five seasons, and he posted an impressive 3.34 xFIP with 8.77 K/9 and 3.19 BB/9 in 2025. He continued to effectively limit weak contact with just 0.7 HR/9 and a 72.9% ground ball rate. His landing spot will determine his exact ADP in fantasy baseball drafts, but for now, he's the #28 starting pitcher in RotoBaller's latest rankings. If he ends up with the Orioles, he'd be the No. 1 option atop a rotation that also includes Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish.

Free agent starting pitcher Framber Valdez remains one of the top players on the market with spring training just a few weeks away. As Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports, Valdez isn't alone in that regard. Other top free agent arms include former Cy Young candidates Lucas Giolito and Zac Gallen, as well as future Hall of Fame inductees Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. Valdez is looking for a new home after excelling as Houston's ace. He posted double-digit wins and at least 22 starts in each of the last five seasons, and he posted an impressive 3.34 xFIP with 8.77 K/9 and 3.19 BB/9 in 2025. He continued to effectively limit weak contact with just 0.7 HR/9 and a 72.9% ground ball rate. It's still unclear which teams are pursuing Valdez the heaviest, but there's no denying that he would offer a major upgrade to most rotations throughout the league. Currently, he's the #28 starting pitcher in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings, but he'll presumably move up or down a few spots once he signs with a team.

Free agent starting pitcher Framber Valdez remains unsigned as the calendar ticks closer to February and the start of 2026 Spring Training. The 32-year-old left-hander has been one of MLB's most durable and consistent starters over the past four seasons. In 2025, he posted a 13-11 record with a 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 187 strikeouts across 192 innings (31 starts) for the Houston Astros. Valdez has been linked to several clubs at various points throughout the offseason and could be the next major free agent domino to fall. The most recent team to reportedly show interest in Valdez is the Toronto Blue Jays, who have been one of the winter's most active teams. However, Toronto recently lost infielder Bo Bichette to the New York Mets and missed out on outfielder Kyle Tucker, to whom they reportedly made a sizable offer, to the Los Angeles Dodgers. As a result, the Blue Jays could have money to spend on Valdez. If he lands in Toronto, Valdez would be in a good spot to record his sixth consecutive season with double-digit wins. He currently holds an average draft position of pick 89 in traditional rotisserie scoring fantasy leagues and could see his ADP rise once he finds a home.

According to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportnet, the Toronto Blue Jays have had meetings with free agent left-hander Framber Valdez and remain in the mix to sign him. The Blue Jays have had a very active offseason, including signing Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year deal and starting pitcher Dylan Cease to a seven-year contract. Additionally, they were heavily linked to Kyler Tucker and even offered him a massive $350 million, 10-year deal before he signed with the Dodgers. With Tucker off the board, the Blue Jays have remained active among the top free agents and could look to further bolster their rotation by adding Valdez. The southpaw has been one of the most stable workhorse pitchers in the sport as he has logged over 190 innings in three of his last four seasons. During these four campaigns, the southpaw has held a 3.21 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP. Valdez projects to carry solid SP2 upside in all formats heading into 2026.

The Baltimore Orioles are reportedly still in the mix for free-agent left-handed starting pitcher Framber Valdez, according to Roch Kubatko. Valdez is one of the top remaining free agent starters on the market. The Giants and Mets have reportedly shown interest, but the O's also remain in the mix. It seems that the O's would like to add a top-of-the-rotation pitcher ahead of the 2026 season. They've been linked to Justin Verlander, but his best days are likely behind him. Valdez could be a potential game-changer to an Orioles rotation that already has Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers as their top options. In 2025, Valdez posted a 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and a 187/68 K/BB ratio across 31 starts with the Houston Astros. The 31-year-old could offer a significant boost to this O's rotation heading into the 2026 campaign.

Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports that the Boston Red Sox met with starting pitcher Framber Valdez in person at the MLB general managers' meetings in November, and speculates that the team could circle back to Valdez after losing third baseman Alex Bregman to the Chicago Cubs in free agency. Valdez, who is entering his age-32 season, posted a 13-11 record with a 3.66 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 187 strikeouts across 192 innings for the Houston Astros in 2025. The veteran left-hander has made at least 28 starts in four consecutive seasons, posting a 3.21 ERA across 767 2/3 innings pitched in that span. Healey notes that the Red Sox acquired starting pitcher Sonny Gray after meeting with Valdez, so it's possible the team feels it has filled its rotation needs. However, Boston could choose to upgrade its pitching staff with the money it has left over after missing on Bregman.

The Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets have been the two teams that are most connected to signing free-agent starting pitcher Framber Valdez, according to MLB Network Insider Mark Feinsand. Valdez has a history with both operations executives for the Orioles and Mets, with Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias serving as the Astros' scouting director when they signed Valdez in 2015. Mets' president of baseball operations, David Stearns, was the Astros' assistant general manager at that time. The 32-year-old lefty is one of the top starting pitchers on the free-agent market and has been one of the most consistent starters in baseball over the past six seasons. He's thrown at least 175 innings in four consecutive years, holding a 3.21 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 16% K-BB%, and a league-high 60% ground-ball rate in that time. Valdez would remain a high-end starter in fantasy baseball despite a less-than-stellar strikeout rate with a move to either of these teams.

The Baltimore Orioles have had talks with free-agent left-hander Framber Valdez, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Despite agreeing to a five-year, $155 million contract with first baseman Pete Alonso on Wednesday, the Orioles remain engaged with the top end of the starting pitching market this offseason. Baltimore has reportedly been discussing a potential trade for Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore, too. Valdez, 32, is expected to be too expensive for Houston's taste as they search for younger, controllable starting pitchers. The veteran southpaw isn't a big strikeout guy, instead leaning on inducing ground balls, but he's been one of the most consistent starters in baseball since 2020. He's also one of just five pitchers to throw 900 innings in the last four years. A move to the AL East wouldn't be ideal for Valdez's fantasy value, but his penchant for keeping the ball on the ground would certainly help.

The Chicago Cubs will be "shopping in the expensive aisle" for starting pitching this offseason, and USA Today Sports' Bob Nightengale reports that general managers around the league are predicting that Chicago could sign free-agent left-hander Framber Valdez and/or free-agent right-hander Dylan Cease. Free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker is expected to sign elsewhere, so the Cubs will have "plenty of money to burn." They will also be looking to make a splash after finishing second in the National League Central again to the Milwaukee Brewers. Chicago's starting rotation last year left a lot to be desired, so they will certainly look to bolster the top half of the rotation around impressive young right-hander Cade Horton. Valdez, 31, went 13-11 with a 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 187:68 K:BB in 192 innings over 31 starts in his final year in Houston. The aging southpaw relies on pinpoint control and inducing ground balls over velocity and K's, and would be a logical replacement for Shota Imanaga.

Houston Astros southpaw Framber Valdez stymied the Athletics in an 11-5 victory on Thursday to notch his 13th win of the year. Making his final start of the regular season, Valdez surrendered one run on seven hits and two walks while tallying 10 strikeouts over seven innings. It was a much-needed rebound for Valdez, whose production has fallen off the table during the second half of the season. After recording a 2.62 earned-run average through July, he stumbled to a 5.64 ERA in August and entered Thursday with a horrid 8.27 mark in September. Valdez nevertheless logged respectable numbers across 31 starts, though, as he went 13-11 with a 3.66 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, and 187:68 K:BB in 192 innings. With the Astros one game out of a playoff spot, Valdez may not pitch again in 2025.