Should the Mets Trade for This Cy Young Candidate?

The Mets could be a potential fit for one of the best left-handed starters in the league.

Oct 1, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez (59) walks off the mount in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers in game one of the Wild Card round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

As the New York Mets enter the offseason, one of their primary goals is to shore up the starting rotation.

While the Mets' 2024 rotation was surprisingly durable (outside of Kodai Senga), many of those key pieces could be on a different team next year; both Luis Severino and Jose Quintana are unrestricted free agents, while Sean Manaea is expected to opt out of his contract and become a free agent as well. New York has also been linked to Baltimore Orioles' ace Corbin Burnes, who is the best pitcher available in free agency.

However, the Mets can also look to the trade market for rotation upgrades, and according to Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report, one of the best left-handed starters in baseball could be a good fit.

Over in the American League, the Houston Astros are at a crossroads and may end up slashing payroll, according to general manager Dana Brown. In that regard, starting pitcher Framber Valdez could be available via trade.

"Valdez stands to make $17.8 million via arbitration next year. It's far from a bad rate for a pitcher of his stature, but the Astros could do a lot (i.e., re-sign Alex Bregman or add bullpen pieces) if they set that money free," Rymer wrote in an article that lists the most likely trade pieces for each MLB team. "There's also the reality that Houston is relatively well off with starting pitching. Even if you subtract Valdez, they still have Hunter Brown, Spencer Arrighetti and Ronel Blanco, as well as Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. returning from injuries."

Rymer subsequently listed three teams that would be good fits for Valdez; in addition to the Mets, the Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles were listed as potential destinations for the 30-year-old southpaw.

After a breakout season in 2020, Valdez has emerged as a consistent Cy Young contender with a 3.12 ERA, 3.36 FIP and 1.15 WHIP over five seasons in the starting rotation. The lefty is known as a ground ball machine with one of the league's best sinkers, and excels at both striking out batters (8.80 K/9) and limiting walks (2.92 BB/9).

Given Valdez's pedigree, the Mets would likely need to send one of their top prospects to Houston to acquire him. That being said, New York has a deep farm system with multiple top prospects, while the Astros need to breathe life into a barren minor league pipeline; even with a blockbuster, the Mets should be in good shape in terms of prospects and can even take on Valdez's salary (due to Steve Cohen's deep pockets) to avoid sacrificing additional futures.

The Mets' World Series window has been blasted wide open thanks to their exciting 2024 season, and they have all the incentive to assemble the best team possible. While their starting rotation is currently in a transitional phase, getting a proven stud like Valdez would stabilize it for years to come.