Baseball

Rumor mill: Framber Valdez, the starter to watch for the Blue Jays
Félix Forget
Rumor mill: Framber Valdez, the starter to watch for the Blue Jays
Credit: FOX News

Framber Valdez, the starter to watch for the Blue Jays

We know: the Toronto Blue Jays intend to be aggressive this winter. The club has struggled to sign big free agents in recent years, but on the strength of their run to the World Series, they could be competitive on the market this winter.

And among the needs in town, rotation is one of them. The foundation is interesting (Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber and Jose Berrios form a solid quartet), but we'd like to pick up another big name.

And the name to watch out for, among those free as a bird, is Framber Valdez. That's what Mitch Bannon (The Athletic) said in his piece today.

Valdez, who played with Myles Straw and George Springer in Houston, is a proven guy who is almost always healthy. Given that Yesavage is young and Bieber has a long injury history, a sure thing like Valdez would solidify the rotation.

Yesavage and Bieber have the potential to be dominant, but they come with an element of risk. Valdez, on the other hand, minimizes that risk.

Let's see if it materializes, but with the Astros seemingly ready to turn the page on Valdez, the Jays could get their hands on one of the best starters on the market.

Michael King in the Cubs' sights

Michael King didn't have a great 2025. He started the year strong, but injuries kept him sidelined for several months and affected his performance when he returned.

But despite everything, King is one of the big names on the market. We know how solid he is when healthy, and the potential will draw people to the table.

Of the lot, the Chicago Cubs, who are said to have him in their sights. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney (The Athletic) report.

The Cubs see King as a high-potential starter who could solidify the club's rotation. And in light of the club's success with Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd (guys the Cubs feel are similar to King in their approach), it makes sense that they'd have interest.

Will they be willing to pay for him? That, of course, is the big question.

Yankees interested in Tatsuya Imai

When we look at the starters on the market, Tatsuya Imai is one of the most interesting names. At just 27, we're talking about a gunner who's young… and above all, who's broken everything in Japan in recent years.

So, despite his lack of experience in the Majors, we can expect to see him get a nice contract. And Yoshinobu Yamamoto's recent series could help him increase his value.

And among the teams interested in Imai are the New York Yankees. Jon Heyman reports.

We know that the Yankees have, in the past, been a destination of choice for Japanese players. That's less true than it once was, that said… but the club continues to try to attract them.

They were at the height of the race for Yoshinobu Yamamoto when he came to America, remember. And we expect them to be in the running for Munetaka Murakami.

So we'll see if Imai joins the Yankees. But obviously, the Bombardiers are interested.

  • Pete Fairbanks isn't surprised the Rays didn't pick up his $11 million option.

  • Hiring for the Twins.

This content was created with the help of AI.

facebook icon Share twitter icon Tweet linkedin icon Share
Copied!