Framber Valdez has been chatting with the Mets

When Dylan Cease signed with the Blue Jays (a month or so ago), we wondered whether this would set the ball rolling for leading starting pitchers in the autonomy market.

And quite clearly, the answer is no. No other leading starters have signed up.

Tatsuya Imai, Ranger Suarez, and Framber Valdez are currently the ones to watch. These are the three best pitchers still available, and they can make the difference on the mound.

Theoretically, the Mets should be a target for guys like these. They have money, they need help on the mound… and they're in a position where they need to make a splash.

However, we know that David Stearns is pretty conservative, so the former Brewers executive doesn't always put his foot on the gas when it comes to signing free agents.

But now comes word that the Mets have talked to Framber Valdez. The Giants and Orioles are also in the mix… and it seems I like the Orioles' chances better than those of the other two big clubs, which isn't normal.

https://twitter.com/SNYtv/status/2004552848609046838

Earlier in the offseason, it was reported that the Mets wouldn't necessarily put up the money to sign a pitcher of Valdez's caliber, a guy who would solve a lot of problems in New York.

Plus, the guy's got a problematic attitude. Wouldn't he fit in well with the Mets?

Maybe the price for Valdez will come down. Maybe the Mets will put more money on the table for him than expected. Maybe the club's president is just doing his homework, with no prospects.

We'll see in due time… but we should note that Jeff Passan expects a big move from the Mets.

https://twitter.com/Metsmerized/status/2004374559836066252

This content was created with the help of AI.