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Report: Blue Jays checked in on Framber Valdez early in the offseason
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Photo credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Tristan Morgan
Jan 16, 2026, 18:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 16, 2026, 17:52 EST
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After a hectic last few days of free agency that saw the Toronto Blue Jays fall just short on both star outfielder Kyle Tucker and former Blue Jays fan favourite Bo Bichette, the organization’s focus has shifted to finding value elsewhere on the open market. While Toronto has made a flurry of impact moves, including signing All-Star starter Dylan Cease, they still find themselves at a familiar crossroads, one where they have to reassess and decide if they are going to push another stack of chips into the middle.
One name lingering, which in recent weeks has seemingly had a cold market, is Framber Valdez, whose free-agent profile is one any team looking to contend could make room for.
As outlined by Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith, Toronto has already landed high-impact rotation arms in Cease, Shane Bieber, and Cody Ponce, but that does not necessarily close the door to adding another high-end starter if the opportunity presents itself. Valdez, who declined his qualifying offer from the Houston Astros to begin the offseason, remains one of the most established starters available in a now significantly depleted market.
The two-time All-Star’s main appeal lies in his consistent run prevention. In 2025, he logged 192 innings with a respectable 3.66 ERA, while continuing his reputation as one of baseball’s premier ground-ball pitchers. Since 2022, he has not pitched fewer than 175 innings per season, and his sinker-curveball combination carries a near 60% ground-ball rate in that timeframe.
From a roster construction standpoint, the infield is well-equipped to support Valdez’s ground-ball tendencies, with Andres Gimenez and Ernie Clement projected to work up the middle. Pairing Valdez with Cease and Kevin Gausman would give the Blue Jays a certified three-headed monster and one of the most feared rotations come the postseason.
According to Nicholson-Smith, while it remains unclear how extensive Toronto’s contact with Valdez has been, the two sides did meet in person at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas in November. Reports suggest mutual interest, indicating that while it’s unclear how much contact there has been, the door remains open to a potential fit, although it was before the Jays signed Cease. 
Still, there is reason to hesitate on pulling the trigger.
League insiders report that Valdez could carry a price tag over $150 million, and Toronto already carries significant investments elsewhere on the roster, including the starting rotation. With other teams such as the Mets and Orioles reportedly interested, it is unlikely the Blue Jays would push beyond their comfort zone in a bidding war. Valdez would likely need to fall into Toronto’s lap for a deal to become a real possibility, and the front office would be shifting towards run prevention (signing another starter) compared to players who add runs (a power bat). 
Even so, context matters. After coming up short on two franchise-altering position players, the Blue Jays may look to pivot quickly and solidify a dominant position in the American League. As many say, you can never have too much pitching, and barring injuries, having three starters who could each be an ace represents the type of depth championships are built on.

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