The Baltimore Orioles had an incredibly disappointing 2025 season. The Orioles finished the 2025 campaign at the bottom of the American League East standings with a 75-87 record. With this, they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
After taking a major step in the wrong direction this past season, the Orioles have responded by being very busy this offseason. They most notably signed star slugger Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million contract. They have also added several other players including Ryan Helsley, Shane Baz, Taylor Ward, and Leody Taveras. With this, the Orioles are making it clear that they are hoping to have a bounce-back season in 2026.
Yet, while the Orioles have been busy so far this offseason, they should not be done making moves. When looking at their current roster, it is apparent that they would benefit by adding another impactful starting pitcher. For example, they were among the teams linked to starting pitcher Ranger Suarez before he signed his five-year, $130 million contract with the Boston Red Sox.
While Suarez is no longer an option for the Orioles, another of their targets is still available on the free-agent market: Framber Valdez. Valdez has been linked to the Orioles throughout this offseason, and they are continuing to be viewed as a prime potential landing spot for the two-time All-Star.
Orioles Predicted to Sign Framber Valdez to Massive Deal
In a recent article for ESPN, Paul Hembekides predicted that the Orioles will end up being the winners of the Valdez sweepstakes by signing him to a six-year, $180 million contract.
“General manager Mike Elias, entering the final year of his contract, has one more haymaker left: Framber Valdez. With Ranger Suárez landing $130 million over five years in Boston, Valdez projects to get around six years and $180 million — a deal that would vault the O’s past the Dodgers and Blue Jays as baseball’s top free agent spenders,” Hembekides wrote.
With the Orioles in desperate need of another star pitcher, it would make a lot of sense for them to make a major push for Valdez. He is the best free-agent pitcher still available for the taking and would have the potential to give the Orioles’ rotation a major boost because of it. Thus, they certainly could be bold enough to give the eight-year veteran a big contract like this.
In 31 games this past season with the Houston Astros, Valdez recorded 13-11 record, a 3.66 ERA, and 187 strikeouts. With numbers like these, he would be a strong addition to Baltimore’s roster if signed.
Orioles Are Not the Only Team Linked to Valdez
While the Orioles are continuing to be connected to Valdez, they certainly are not the only team in the mix. The San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, and Toronto Blue Jays are a just a few clubs who been connected to Valdez as the winter rolls on.
With this, there is no question that the Orioles have competition to land Valdez. It will be interesting to see if they end up being the lucky team that signs him from here.
Orioles Predicted to Make Big Splash for $180 Million Star