Overview
- Valdez remains the top unsigned starter, with MLB.com highlighting him as the leading name still on the board as February approaches.
- MLB insider Hector Gomez reports the Giants are intensifying talks, and San Francisco’s rotation profile makes Valdez a clear fit to deepen the staff.
- Recent reporting indicates clubs are increasingly exploring shorter terms and opt-outs for Valdez as his market cools.
- MLB.com lists multiple active suitors — Orioles, Mets, Tigers, Padres, Blue Jays, Giants and Braves — each with distinct rotation needs and payroll considerations.
- Some analysts have suggested a late-2025 on-field controversy may be dampening interest, though teams still view Valdez as a proven workhorse capable of 190-plus innings.