The Houston Astros collapsed down the stretch this year, and their collapse could get even worse over the coming weeks.
Their top pitcher, Framber Valdez, remained a free agent as of Wednesday. Valdez is the top pitcher left on the market, so it seems like he’s going to be signing elsewhere in the coming weeks. It’s hard to imagine the Astros will be able to afford a deal worth over $150 million.
The staff at SportsGrid predicted Valdez would bolt from Houston and sign a five-year, $160 million deal with the New York Mets this offseason.
“That leaves Valdez searching for a new landing spot, and one potential destination stands out in an even larger market: the New York Mets,” the unnamed author wrote. “New York has made it clear they are hunting for high-end pitching and could already be exploring the trade market, with names like Freddy Peralta and Joe Ryan reportedly in play. If the Mets ultimately decide that free agency is the cleaner path, Valdez would make a ton of sense as a stabilizing presence atop the rotation.”
The Mets have seemingly been the top landing spot for Valdez for the last few weeks. Once Dylan Cease came off the board to the Toronto Blue Jays, it seemed like Valdez would head to the Mets.
The Mets need more starting pitching as desperately as any team needs anything. The starting rotation is what held the Mets back this season.
Signing Valdez to a huge deal would make sense for both sides. Valdez would fit well on a contending team with a good lineup while the Mets would add the ace they desperately need.
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