The Mets are heading into the 2026 season with a starting rotation that looks more like a science experiment than a championship unit. While the organization is understandably excited about the arrival of young arms like Nolan McLean and the potential of Jonah Tong, relying on rookies to carry a staff through 162 games is a recipe for disaster.
Kodai Senga remains the veteran ace when healthy, but his availability has been inconsistent enough that counting on him for 30 starts feels like wishful thinking rather than strategy. President of Baseball Operations David Stearns has preached patience all winter, but there comes a point where patience just looks like hesitation, especially when a solution like Framber Valdez is sitting on the open market.
Framber Valdez Is the Stabilizing Force This Rotation Desperately Needs
Valdez is exactly the kind of “set it and forget it” pitcher the Mets currently lack. The left-hander is coming off a 2025 campaign where he tossed 192 innings, posting a 3.66 ERA and striking out 187 batters. While he isn’t a flamethrower who will blow fastballs by hitters, his ability to induce ground balls is elite; he held opposing lineups to a ground ball rate over 50% last season, which plays beautifully in front of an improved infield defense. He keeps the ball in the yard and manages contact, providing a level of consistency that would allow the Mets to ease their younger arms into the fire without pressure.
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Steve Cohen Can Manipulate the Market to His Advantage
The projected price tag for Valdez sits around five years and $160 million, a hefty commitment for a pitcher entering his age-32 season. However, this is where having the wealthiest owner in sports becomes a weapon.
Instead of locking themselves into a half-decade of risk, the Mets could offer a shorter-term deal with a significantly higher average annual value (AAV)—perhaps a three or four-year pact that pays him like a top-five pitcher annually. This strategy would appeal to Valdez by maximizing his immediate earnings while protecting the Mets from the back-end decline that often plagues long-term pitching contracts.
Stability Is Worth the Premium
Adding Valdez doesn’t just fill a rotation spot; it changes the entire complexion of the staff. It pushes the rookies down the pecking order slightly (even though McLean is the REAL deal) and gives the bullpen a break every fifth day, something that cannot be undervalued in August and September.
Stearns has done a good job building depth, but you don’t win the National League East with depth pieces alone. You win with workhorses who take the ball every fifth day and deliver quality innings, and right now, Framber Valdez is the best bet on the board to do exactly that.