The New York Mets have aggressively retooled their roster this week, pivoting from the Kyle Tucker heartbreak to secure infielder Bo Bichette.
Yet, despite the flurry of activity, a glaring hole remains in the rotation. President of Baseball Operations David Stearns has stabilized the lineup, but the pitching staff still lacks a guaranteed stabilizer to pair with Kodai Senga and the rising Nolan McLean. The solution lies in one of two expensive paths: spending a fortune on free agent Framber Valdez or gutting the farm system for a rental ace like Freddy Peralta or Tarik Skubal.
The Case for Framber Valdez: Durability at a Premium Price
According to Bob Klapisch of NJ.com, the price tag for Valdez is coming into focus, and it isn’t cheap. The left-hander could command a deal in the 5-6 year range worth approximately $150 million. For a pitcher entering his 30s, that is a massive commitment, but the Mets might view it as the “safest” use of their resources.
Valdez offers exactly what the Mets need: a high-floor inning eater who keeps the ball on the ground. In 2025, he posted a 3.66 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP while devouring 192.0 innings and striking out 187 batters. His 58.6% ground ball rate remains elite, a trait that would play beautifully with the Mets’ newly improved infield defense featuring Francisco Lindor and Marcus Semien.
Signing him elevates the team’s floor immediately without costing a single prospect, allowing Stearns to keep his chest of minor league treasures locked tight. However, there are valid concerns about his regression in peripheral metrics, and paying $150 million for a pitcher whose best years might be in the rear-view mirror is a gamble Steve Cohen has to be willing to stomach.
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The Trade Alternative: Buying an Ace for a Year
If the Valdez price tag is too rich, the alternative is arguably more painful for a front office that cherishes prospect capital. The trade market features legitimate aces like Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta and Detroit’s Tarik Skubal, both of whom offer significantly higher upside than Valdez. Peralta, for instance, is coming off a dominant 2025 where he went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA and 204 strikeouts, proving he can miss bats at an elite level.
The problem? Both Peralta and Skubal are set to hit free agency in 2027. Acquiring either would require the Mets to “shred” their farm system—likely parting with top arms like Jett Williams and/or Jonah Tong—for just one guaranteed year of service. Stearns has worked tirelessly to rebuild the farm, and torching it for a rental runs counter to his philosophy of building a sustainable contender.
The Mets are at a crossroads. Do they pay the “Steve Cohen Tax” in cash for Valdez’s durability, or do they pay it in talent for Peralta’s dominance? The answer will define their 2026 season.