Mets predicted to sign $200M 2-time All-Star, World Series champion southpaw over Braves

Hunter Cookston

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Mets predicted to sign $200M 2-time All-Star, World Series champion southpaw over Braves image

The free-agent market still features two big-name left-handed starters in Framber Valdez and Ranger Suárez. Valdez is the bigger name of the two, as he is a former World Series champion with the Houston Astros. One factor that may have kept him from signing is teams’ hesitation to commit to him after it was believed he intentionally crossed up his catcher this past season.

“There’s speculation that Astros pitcher Framber Valdez purposely crossed up his catcher Cesar Salazar and hit him with this pitch after Salazar told him to step off before allowing a grand slam,” JomBoy Media posted.

Two teams in the NL East are expected to be in play, with the first being the Atlanta Braves.

“There are, however, some concerns about Valdez’s clubhouse presence after an incident in which he appeared to intentionally cross up his catcher out of frustration. That’s a red flag the Braves would take seriously, as they arguably value being a good teammate as much as any organization in baseball. If everything checks out, Valdez would significantly ease concerns about the Braves’ rotation in 2026 and beyond. He’s as consistent as they come, has extensive postseason experience, and has proven to be extremely durable,” Sports Talk ATL’s Chase Irle wrote.

However, FanSided’s Chris Landers believes the New York Mets will land Valdez.

“And Valdez is nothing if not proven. He's not going to miss a ton of bats, and he's already 32 years old, but all he does is force a trillion ground balls and eat up innings with an ERA of 3.50 or lower. That's awfully valuable for this Mets team in particular, given how few internal options feel like a safe bet for at least 150 frames in 2026. Plus, Valdez's age means that New York might be able to find common ground on a shorter-term deal with a higher AAV, taking the lefty through the rest of his prime without bogging down Stearns' payroll,” Landers wrote.

The Mets have had a rough offseason so far, losing out on several big-name players and trading away valuable franchise faces. As a result, 2026 in Queens has not generated much excitement among fans.

However, landing Valdez would bring back some of that buzz and energy. The Mets need to get this deal done to help salvage their offseason.

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