Framber Valdez is still unsigned with less than three weeks to go before the start of spring training … and he may just have to keep on waiting.
Valdez’s free agent market has “completely [fallen] flat,” Jim Bowden of CBS Sports reported Monday during an appearance on “Foul Territory.” Bowden adds that Valdez’s camp doesn’t have “anything on the table they like.”
The two-time All-Star Valdez, 32, is the best remaining starting pitcher on the market. He is also coming off a solid 2025 season in which he went 13-11 with a 3.66 ERA and 187 strikeouts over 31 total starts.
But Valdez can struggle sometimes with walks and general wildness on the mound. He also notably had an ugly incident last season in which he seemingly disrespected his own catcher during the middle of a game.
The Houston Astros, Valdez’s career-long team, have seemingly moved on from him this offseason. They signed pitcher Tatsuya Imai out of Japan and also traded for another pair of starting-caliber arms in Mike Burrows and Kai-Wei Teng.
Valdez was recently said to have interest from one particular NL team. But if his market can’t heat up soon, Valdez may have to go the way of this other big pitching name who is expected to wait until after Opening Day to sign.
