Batting Around: Where will Framber Valdez sign — and which team needs him most?

Throughout the offseason the CBS Sports MLB experts will bring you a weekly Batting Around roundtable, breaking down pretty much anything. The latest news, a historical question, thoughts about the future of baseball, all sorts of stuff. Two weeks ago we debated Munetaka Murakami’s future. This week we’re going to do the same with Framber Valdez. The Astros, who employed Valdez for the first eight years of his strong MLB career, agreed to a deal with star Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai on Thursday.

Which team most needs Framber Valdez? Where will he sign?

R.J. Anderson: I’ll say the Orioles for both. They’ve already made a few additions to their rotation, signing Zach Eflin and trading for Shane Baz, but I don’t think they should stop just yet. Inking Valdez would improve the rotation’s ceiling, as well as allow them to use an excess starter — be it Dean Kremer or Cade Povich — in a deal to address another area of weakness. 

Matt Snyder: The Cubs have found lots of success with left-handed pitchers in Wrigley Field. Right now, the rotation looks to be Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon and Colin Rea with Justin Steele returning at some point from Tommy John surgery. This is a team that made the playoffs last year for the first time since 2020, but still took at back seat to the Brewers. They also should be flexing their financial muscles as the only large-market team in the NL Central, but they ranked in the teens in spending last season and it looks the same right now heading toward 2026. It should be the Cubs here. 

But it won’t be. Tom Ricketts is content to have Jed Hoyer run a middle-market operation despite being the Big Brother in Chicago. 

I’ll say the Giants sign Valdez. I know they are reluctant to sign a pitcher long-term, but it looks like every suitor on Valdez is the same way, meaning the market could come back to Buster Posey here. 

Dayn Perry: The Mets could really use a veteran bedrock at the front of the rotation that cost them last season. Valdez certainly checks that box. His ground-balling ways might be a nice fit in front of a middle-infield defense that’s been improved by swapping out Jeff McNeil for Marcus Semien. Mostly, though, the Mets really need innings and run prevention in front of a rotation that otherwise includes a mix of youth and mid- to back-end veterans. 

Mike Axisa: I’m with Snyder. The Cubs absolutely should sign Valdez. Their infield defense is off-the-charts good, especially with Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner up the middle, and Valdez is the best ground ball starter in baseball. Here are the top ground ball rates since 2021 (minimum 500 innings):

1. Framber Valdez: 61.6%
2. Logan Webb: 57.8%
3. Cristopher Sánchez: 57.5%
4. Max Fried: 53.9%
5. Brayan Bello: 52.7%
   (MLB average: 41.8%)

The Cubbies need another starter and Valdez in front of that defense would be a beautiful thing. It’s a no-hitter waiting to happen. Chicago already has two lefty starters (Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga) and will have a third when Justin Steele returns from his elbow reconstruction, but I wouldn’t let that deter me. The upside is too great, plus they’re all very different lefties, stylistically.

As for where Valdez will sign, I’ll go slightly off the board and say the Tigers, who have an unsettled back of the rotation and can lean on the A.J. Hinch connection dating back to his time with Valdez in Houston. Valdez could pair with Tarik Skubal in 2026 and also be a hedge against Skubal leaving as a free agent next offseason.