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Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez is one of the top players left in free agency, as of Wednesday, and he seems to have plenty of suitors.
The New York Mets make a lot of sense as a landing spot for the lefty. He would immediately slot in as the team’s best pitcher going forward. The Mets have the money to build up the pitching staff after the unit struggled last season. It would be the perfect addition in Queens.
But Will Laws and Nick Selbe of Sports Illustrated predicted the lefty would sign a deal with the Los Angeles Angels in free agency this winter.
“Valdez is one of the majors’ most durable, consistent pitchers; he and Giants ace Logan Webb are the only two hurlers to complete at least 175 innings while recording an ERA under 3.70 in each of the last four seasons,” Laws and Selbe wrote. “The worm-burning lefty also has three top-10 Cy Young finishes, a no-hitter and a World Series-clinching win under his belt from his time with the Astros.
“Valdez would step in as a top-tier No. 2 pitcher on just about any pitching staff, and the fact he doesn’t rely on elite velocity likely means he’d age well over the course of a five-year contract. The Angels, who recently agreed to a buyout with Anthony Rendon and reached a settlement in the Tyler Skaggs wrongful death lawsuit, have the payroll space for a big move to get them closer to contention.”
Adding Valdez makes perfect sense for the Angels. They’re seemingly desperate to add to their roster in the coming weeks, as they’re trying to contend again next season.
Adding Valdez to a struggling pitching staff would work wonders in pushing the Angels in the right direction. This move would give them a pitcher who can go toe to toe with any opposing ace in the league.
It’s hard to imagine the Angels outbidding the Mets in a sweepstakes like this, but don’t count them out yet.
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