Veteran Starting Pitcher Framber Valdez Linked To Pittsburgh Pirates

Usually, when we talk about the Pittsburgh Pirates and “spending money” in the same sentence, it’s the setup to a bad joke. For years, the narrative at PNC Park has been about shedding salary, trading away stars before they get expensive, and treating the free agent market like window shopping at a luxury dealership.

But something feels different this winter. Maybe it’s the arrival of Paul Skenes, the mustachioed fireballer who looks like he was built in a lab to dominate the NL Central. Maybe the front office finally realized that championship windows don’t stay open forever. According to Ken Rosenthal, the Pirates aren’t just kicking tires; they are “aggressive” suitors for Framber Valdez. You read that right. The Pirates are hunting big game.

A Rotation That Could Terrorize the National League

If you’re a Pirates fan, you’re allowed to hyperventilate a little bit right now. Just close your eyes and picture the 2026 rotation. You lead off with Skenes, who is already arguably the most terrifying pitcher on the planet. You follow him up with Valdez, a lefty ground-ball machine with a World Series ring and a curveball that drops off the table.

Then, just when opposing hitters think they can breathe, they have to deal with Mitch Keller, Jared Jones, and the electric prospect Bubba Chandler. That isn’t just a good rotation; that is a “rotation of doom” that wins short playoff series.

Valdez is coming off a season where he posted a 3.66 ERA in 31 starts. Sure, his ERA+ of 114 wasn’t his career peak, but he is a legitimate workhorse. In an era where pitchers are falling apart left and right, Valdez takes the ball, eats innings, and keeps the ball in the yard. Pairing his ground-ball tendencies with the Pirates’ defense? That’s a recipe for winning 1-0 games.

The Secret Weapon: Bill Murphy

Why would Valdez choose Pittsburgh? Aside from the money, there is a familiar face in the dugout. The Pirates hired Bill Murphy as their new pitching coach this past October. Murphy spent a decade in the Astros organization. He knows Valdez. He’s worked with him. He understands what makes the lefty tick.

In the world of high-stakes free agency, familiarity is often the tiebreaker. If the money is close between Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Toronto, having a coach who already knows how to fix your mechanics when you slump is a massive selling point.

Is The Offense Ready To Help Valdez?

Here is where we have to pour a little cold water on the excitement. You can have the ‘27 Yankees pitching staff, but you still have to score runs to win baseball games. Last year, the Pirates’ offense was anemic. They ranked dead last in the Majors in runs scored (583) and OPS (.655).

The front office knows this. They swung and missed on Kyle Schwarber and Eugenio Suárez, which stings. However, they did pick up Ryan O’Hearn and traded for Brandon Lowe. Are those moves enough to transform the lineup into a juggernaut? Probably not. But they raise the floor.

If the Pirates land Valdez, the strategy becomes clear: We are going to pitch you to death. They are betting that winning 3-2 is just as good as winning 10-8.

The Bottom Line for Bucs Fans

It’s easy to be cynical. We’ve seen the Pirates flirt with big names before, only to watch them sign with a big-market team while Pittsburgh settles for a reclamation project on a one-year deal.

But the pursuit of Valdez feels tangible. The aggression reported by Rosenthal suggests the Pirates smell blood in the water. They know the NL Central is winnable. They know they have a generational talent in Skenes. And they know that Valdez is the exact type of veteran presence that turns a “fun young team” into a legitimate World Series contender.