The Philadelphia Phillies could soon make a shock move for a top free agent pitcher. Philadelphia has, so far, mostly focused on hitting during the current offseason. The club has re-signed stars Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto this winter, while also adding Adolis Garcia to the mix.
The Phillies attempted to bring in Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette as well. While potentially landing one of the two top free agent hitters seemed somewhat likely, both ultimately signed elsewhere. With high-end free agent hitters now mostly off the board, Philadelphia may turn to pitching in the coming days.
MLB insider Jon Morosi made an appearance on MLB Network on January 19 to discuss Framber Valdez’s future. The free agent pitcher is now seen as the top available player in his position. Morosi claimed that Valdez is not exactly close to selecting a new team just yet.
This is particularly interesting because many in the industry believed the former Astro would sign fairly quickly after Ranger Suarez did. The now-former Phillie recently signed a five-year, $130 million deal with the Boston Red Sox.
Morosi went on to link Valdez as a possible Suarez replacement in Philadelphia. “We have not heard a ton about the team that Ranger Suarez left as being a possible landing spot for Framber Valdez,” said the insider. “But when you look at the Phillies depth chart for pitching, there’s a spot there where you could certainly see a spot for a veteran sliding in. So I would say let’s not close off the possibility of Framber to the Phillies quite yet.”
Philadelphia Phillies Would Have One of the Best MLB Rotations with Framber Valdez
GettyFramber Valdez has proven to be a reliable veteran pitcher throughout his career.
Valdez has been heavily linked with the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets in recent days. It certainly seems that if one of these teams gives the pitcher what he wants, he would likely agree to a deal. Nevertheless, both teams, especially New York, appear hesitant to give veteran pitchers long-term contracts. Valdez is now 32 and recently posted his highest ERA (3.66) since becoming a full-time starter in Houston.
With teams around the league hesitant to sign Valdez, Philadelphia can swoop in and make its move. Led by Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo, and Suarez, the Phillies had one of the better rotations in MLB in 2025. In fact, they led the entire league with 84 total quality starts on the campaign. They also topped MLB with the most combined innings pitched per start.
As Morosi points out, Suarez’s departure leaves a substantial hole in their rotation. Valdez has proven to be a reliable innings eater throughout his career with the Astros and would seemingly fit in well in Philadelphia. Sanchez was the only Phillies starter to toss more innings than Valdez in 2025.
Valdez Could Benefit from Philadelphia’s Double Play Duo
Philadelphia has certainly shown the ability to pivot this offseason quickly. After missing out on Bregman, they had an intense interest in Bichette. When that move failed to materialize, they opted to re-sign Realmuto within hours. It is possible that the club could soon turn to pitching with some of the money they previously set aside.
As MLB.com’s Travis Sawchik recently pointed out, Valdez would thrive on a team with solid infield defense. This is due to the starter being an extreme ground-ball pitcher. While Alec Bohm’s future is in the air, Philadelphia’s middle infield of Trea Turner and Bryson Stott are both solid fielders at their positions.
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