"Gallen is coming off a down season and is a candidate for a pillow contract with an opt-out. On the other hand, Valdez came into the winter as arguably the best available pitcher. His age and middling second half performance - plus the bizarre cross up incident with catcher César Salazar that could lead to some questions from teams - meant he hit the market on a bit of a down note himself."
"Valdez's age (32) made a six-year deal a stretch. A five-year contract seemed more plausible, with a strong four-year pact appearing to be the floor. There hasn't been much about Valdez's market or whether his camp would target a shorter deal with opt-outs as Spring Training approaches. Valdez clearly hasn't found a deal to his liking, yet he's probably the last top-of-the-rotation starter who'll change teams this offseason."
Framber Valdez is the premier remaining pitching free agent and one of only three unsigned players from MLBTR's top-20 list, alongside two who declined qualifying offers. Valdez posted a 3.66 ERA with a 23.3% strikeout rate and a 58.6% groundball rate across 192 innings, marking his fourth straight full season and sixth consecutive sub-4.00 ERA year. Age (32) reduces six-year deal prospects, making five years plausible and four years a likely floor. The trade market has limited top-rotation alternatives, and Valdez has attracted frequent links to the Orioles while remaining unsigned as spring approaches.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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