With reports surfacing that the Yankees have checked in on Astros left-hander Framber Valdez, there's growing buzz that New York might be eyeing a pivot plan-just in case Cody Bellinger walks.
The Yankees and Bellinger have been locked in a holding pattern for weeks, and it’s starting to feel like agent Scott Boras is playing the long game, possibly waiting to see how the Kyle Tucker market shakes out. If teams miss out on Tucker, Boras might be hoping one of them circles back with a stronger offer than the Yankees’ reported five-year, $155 million proposal. But if that bigger deal doesn’t materialize, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Bellinger and the Yankees eventually reunite.
Still, if Bellinger does move on, Framber Valdez could be a strong Plan B-not as a direct replacement at the plate, but as a move that shifts the Yankees' offseason strategy toward pitching dominance.
Valdez is coming off a season where he posted a 3.66 ERA and 3.37 FIP over 31 starts for Houston. That’s not just dependable-it’s durable.
He’s been a workhorse, logging over 175 innings in three of the last four seasons and consistently putting up WAR totals north of 4. Even though his ERA ticked up in 2025, his underlying metrics stayed right in line with his career norms.
In short: there’s no red flag here suggesting he’s about to fall off a cliff.
Valdez’s stuff remains elite. His sinker is a weapon-tons of late movement, tough to square up.
But it’s the curveball and changeup that make him especially dangerous in two-strike counts. He’s not just pitching to contact; he’s missing bats when it matters most.
Now imagine pairing Valdez with Max Fried. That’s a one-two punch that could go toe-to-toe with any rotation in baseball. Add in Gerrit Cole returning to full strength and Carlos Rodón looking to bounce back, and suddenly the Yankees’ rotation isn’t just deep-it’s potentially dominant.
Sure, there’s a lot of left-handed arms in that mix-Valdez, Fried, Rodón, and even Ryan Weathers. But let’s not overthink the handedness.
Talent trumps symmetry. Just last postseason, the Phillies rolled out three lefties in their four-man rotation after Zack Wheeler went down, and that group still led the league in WAR and ERA-.
The Dodgers, known for their righty-heavy lineup, struggled mightily against that southpaw-heavy staff. The point?
If the arms are good enough, the matchups will take care of themselves.
The one knock on Valdez isn’t about his stuff-it’s about his temperament. He’s had some on-field flare-ups, including a heated moment last season when he appeared to throw at his own catcher after a grand slam by Trent Grisham.
That wasn’t an isolated incident, either. Valdez has a reputation for letting frustration bubble over during games, and that’s something teams have to weigh.
There have been reports that clubs like the Orioles and Red Sox passed on Valdez in favor of Ranger Suárez, despite Suárez showing signs of decline. That says something about how much teams value clubhouse chemistry alongside on-field performance.
But the Yankees have a stabilizing force in Aaron Judge. He’s shown he can coexist with-and even help manage-strong personalities like Marcus Stroman, Josh Donaldson, and Alex Verdugo. If Judge signs off on Valdez, there’s a good chance the team believes any potential friction can be managed.
From a roster-building standpoint, a three-year deal for Valdez at a similar average annual value to Bellinger-around $32 million-could give the Yankees flexibility. Add opt-outs after each season, and you’ve got a high-upside arm who could anchor the rotation or become a valuable trade chip.
And here’s where things get interesting: if Valdez comes in and the Yankees feel good about their pitching depth, they could use prospects like Will Warren, Elmer Rodriguez, or Luis Gil in a trade to bring in a bat to replace Bellinger’s offense. That kind of strategic reshuffling could leave the Yankees with a more balanced, deeper roster-and a rotation that no team wants to face in October.
Bottom line: if Bellinger walks, Framber Valdez isn’t just a consolation prize. He could be the kind of move that reshapes the Yankees’ identity heading into 2026-less about slugging their way to wins, and more about suffocating opponents with elite starting pitching.