Toronto Blue Jays have continued interest in free agent starter Framber Valdez
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The Toronto Blue Jays have continued to show interest in free agent pitcher Framber Valdez.
According to Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of The New York Post, the Toronto Blue Jays remain interested in veteran left-hander Framber Valdez, who is widely viewed as the top remaining starting pitcher available.
Jays are among several teams that have interest in top free agent starter Framber Valdez, @Joelsherman1 and I have learned @nypostsports
Blue Jays continually trying to upgrade pitching staff heading into Spring Training
The Blue Jays reportedly met with Valdez during the GM Meetings in early November, a conversation that took place before the club committed seven years and $210 million to Dylan Cease.
At the time, it was unclear whether Toronto would remain involved after landing its frontline starter, but the interest has apparently persisted.
Valdez stands out as the last true impact player still unsigned. While there are several starting pitchers available, most profile as mid-rotation or back-end options.
Valdez, by contrast, is a proven high-end No. 2 starter with legitimate ace upside.
The 31-year-old southpaw finished in the top 10 of Cy Young voting in each season from 2022 through 2024.
He was on a similar trajectory last year before the All-Star break, posting a 2.75 ERA across 19 starts.
However, Valdez entered free agency following what was arguably the roughest two-month stretch of his career.
Now heading into his age-32 season, Valdez faces a market where long-term deals for starting pitchers his age are increasingly uncommon.
While his initial asking price remains unclear, remaining unsigned into February typically signals limited leverage.
A short-term contract with opt-outs often attractive for younger free agents, may hold less appeal for Valdez at this stage.
Toronto’s rotation is already fairly crowded, featuring Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, Bieber, Trey Yesavage, and Cody Ponce.
The Blue Jays could reasonably head into the season with that group, yet they continue to explore upgrades.
Heyman also noted during an MLB Network appearance that Toronto has at least some interest in a reunion with Max Scherzer.
That would be a significantly cheaper option than Valdez, though Scherzer would represent a smaller upgrade over the team’s current depth arms.
Signing Valdez would come with draft-pick compensation, but the cost would be mitigated by Toronto’s earlier move for Cease.
The Blue Jays already forfeited their second-round pick and a post–fourth-round compensatory selection tied to Bo Bichette.
Adding Valdez would cost them their third- and fifth-round picks, both of which fall outside the top 100 overall.
With the offseason winding down, Toronto appears to be weighing whether one final splash is worth the price.
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Toronto Blue Jays interested in potential Max Scherzer reunion
Toronto Blue Jays interested in potential Max Scherzer reunion