Cubs get good news on Framber Valdez’s free agency originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Chicago Cubs are waiting to spend some money.

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But after Christmas, it’ll be time for them to really hit the ground running in free agency.

Kyle Tucker is expected to leave, so that’s a vacated spot on the salary sheet that could potentially be filled at a different position.

One spot that the Cubs could use someone new is starting pitcher.

And there’s a strong possibility out there based on recent links: Framber Valdez.

MLB.com’s Andrew Simon has called Valdez a “perfect fit” for the Cubs after his time with the Houston Astros.

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“If Chicago isn’t going to retain or replace Tucker, then the top of the rotation is a clear area to address instead,” Simon writes. “Matthew Boyd was excellent in 2025 but is about to turn 35 and just had his first healthy season since 2019. Cade Horton has made all of 22 MLB starts. Shota Imanaga was hit hard in the second half of ‘25. For a team that hasn’t been able to dethrone the Brewers atop the NL Central, that might not be good enough. Not only would Valdez bring the most polished resume of any free-agent starter — averaging 30 starts per year and a 3.21 ERA since 2022 — but his grounder-heavy approach would look great on a team with Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner vacuuming up anything hit to the middle infield.”

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Valdez’s ground-ball tendencies also should help him age more smoothly. Since he doesn’t rely on swing and miss, a small downtick in stuff can be made up for with craft that’s harder to do when you have to depend on being overpowering.

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The Cubs made the playoffs in 2025 but didn’t win the division, with the Milwaukee Brewers instead topping the NL Central.

This time around, the Cubs would like to change that. Valdez would certainly help.

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