Starting pitcher Framber Valdez is potentially the hottest pitcher on the free agency market this offseason, and MLB Network host Matt Vasgersian believes the New York Mets are the team who will bring him in this winter.

Valdez, 31, had another solid season in his long string of good years with the Houston Astros, posting a 3.66 ERA through 31 starts. He led MLB with two complete games, and struck out 187 batters — the third-most he has managed in a season during his eight-year career.

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“I am making a free agency prediction right here, Framber Valdez is going to sign with the Mets,” Vasgersian said. “There’s a lot of cash to flow around over there, and Framber’s out there — this fits the bill. I think [Mets owner Steve Cohen] is going to come off and say ‘Look [president of baseball operations David Stearns] spends a lot of money. Recklessly. Go for it.’ Give the guy the extra two years he wants and he’s going to be a Met.”

Throughout his eight seasons of work in MLB, Valdez has a career ERA of 3.36 in 188 starts. He surpassed 1,000 career innings pitched and career strikeouts during the 2025 season. He received All-Star selections in both 2022 and 2023, and placed in the top 10 in Cy Young voting from 2022-24.

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Spotrac has Valdez’s market values listed at a six-year contract for nearly $200 million, which would give him the sixth-largest contract among all MLB pitchers. The Mets aren’t any strangers to spending during the free agency period, though, having thrown $765 million at Juan Soto last offseason.

The Mets had a disappointing finish to their 2025 season, narrowly missing the postseason, and could also stand to improve their pitching staff, which sat towards the middle of the road in terms of ERA after the season’s end. If they were to add an ace such as Valdez to their rotation, they could very well bounce back from their disappointing season.

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