Why the Mets should overlook any Framber Valdez concerns

This past Thursday, MLB insider Héctor Gómez called the Mets the favorites to sign Valdez. While no deal has materialized yet, there are plenty of reasons why the two sides match up well, despite concerns about the left-hander’s age and the rumored $200 million price tag.

Valdez, 32, went 13-11 with a 3.66 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 8.8 K/9 rate over 31 starts for the Houston Astros this past season. The two-time All-Star does not miss as many bats as other nine-figure starters, but he brings consistency and durability.

Dating back to 2021, Valdez has regularly posted ERAs in the high 2s to mid-3s — a mark driven by the highest ground-ball rate (60%) among starters during that span. Though his 3.66 ERA in 2025 was his worst since 2019, his 94.3 mph sinker (+14 run value) helped him continue to keep the ball on the ground more often than not.

Valdez’s ability to limit home runs (career 0.7 HR/9) and induce grounders at an elite clip could play especially well in Queens with the defensive tandem of Marcus Semien (+7 OAA) and Francisco Lindor (+5 OAA) up the middle. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has emphasized improving run prevention since the offseason began, making Valdez a natural fit for that vision.

Over the past four years, Valdez has thrown 767.2 innings, a total that trails only Logan Webb’s 820 and sits more than 30 innings ahead of Zac Gallen, who ranks third in MLB. The veteran left-hander also has more postseason starts and innings than any pitcher since 2020, proving time and again that he can hold up over a full season.

That level of availability is especially enticing to a team like the Mets, whose rotation was decimated by injuries in 2025. New York’s starters ranked 27th in innings pitched and, by season’s end, were relying on three rookies — Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Brandon Sproat — to anchor the staff.

Read More: Mets could sign these two relievers to bolster bullpen

Aside from McLean, who went 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA and 1.04 WHIP over eight starts, the Mets lack reliable arms with top-end upside. Former de facto aces Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea struggled to provide length after injuries in 2025, and although David Peterson and Clay Holmes took the ball every fifth or sixth day, their performance declined late in the season.

While Valdez may not be the surefire No. 1 arm Mets fans are hoping for, his ability to eat innings and consistently perform would immediately upgrade the top of their rotation, at least in the short term. The clearest path to acquiring a true ace remains via the trade market, but it is unclear how willing teams are to move those arms before the season begins.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.