The Baltimore Orioles entered the offseason with the goal of bettering the top of their starting rotation. That plan hit a snag when left-handed starter Framber Valdez signed with the Detroit Tigers, leaving the Orioles without the elite, top-of-the-rotation starter they sought.
Valdez is coming off of a good season in Houston’s rotation, going 13-11 with a 3.66 ERA across 31 starts in 2025. He logged 192 innings, struck out 187 batters and posted a 1.24 WHIP, continuing a consistent career. Valdez, who has posted a 3.36 ERA and more than 1,000 strikeouts in seven big league seasons, was also a key player in Houston’s 2022 World Series run.
“I thought the Orioles were going to get Framber,” ESPN baseball analyst Tim Kurkjian said on Glenn Clark Radio Feb. 6. “I thought he would be a perfect addition to the top. I don’t know if there’s anybody out there that’s going to give them a pitcher of that caliber.”
Valdez agreed to a three-year, $115 million contract with the Tigers, a deal he can opt out of after the 2027 season. The lefty solidifies Detroit’s rotation as one of the strongest in the nation.
Valdez’s decision reflects the increasingly competitive pitching market, the challenges the Orioles are facing in upgrading the rotation and a win-now mentality for the Tigers. Kurkjian mentioned Detroit having a payroll pushing $100 million for the starting rotation alone.
“You figure out this year, you try to win this year. You figure out next year, next year, and the Tigers are going for it,” he said.
Even though the Orioles missed out on Valdez, Kurkjian still believes the club has a chance at the playoffs after adding Pete Alonso, Shane Baz, Ryan Helsley and others in the offseason.
“I still think with all the other things they’ve done, they should be a significantly better team than last year, and they should be vying for a playoff spot of some sort in September,” he said.
The remaining free-agent options could make a meaningful contribution to the rotation even if they are not ace-level pitchers. Kurkjian mentioned free-agent starters Chris Bassitt, Justin Verlander and Zac Gallen could impact to the team.
“Verlander can still pitch. That’s amazing,” he said. “Bassitt was a good pitcher last year and has been. His understanding of the job is like very few pitchers in the game today. And Zac Gallen started the All-Star Game a couple of years ago. I would be thrilled if I were the Orioles if I could get one of those guys.”
While trades remain possible, Kurkjian expressed skepticism that a major pitching deal will happen.
“My guess is it will not be a major trade involving a starting pitcher before spring begins for 30 teams,” he said, adding that injuries or underperformance in camp could reopen discussions in spring training.
The larger question for the Orioles is whether or not they can compete for a championship without another huge pitching addition.
“This doesn’t look like the AL pennant winner to me at the moment,” Kurkjian said, though he said not to draw conclusions quite yet. “The beauty of baseball is … just because you open a season with one team doesn’t mean that’s the way you’re going to finish.”
Kurkjian suggested that the Orioles could look to make additions ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline if they are in the race at that point.
“If you get yourself back into contention and you need one more guy, you can always get it,” he said. “I think that’s where the Orioles could be at the trade deadline.”
Baltimore’s relief depth also took a hit after a recent trade sending reliever Kade Strowd to Arizona in exchange for infielder Blaze Alexander.
Alexander’s versatility was likely a major factor in the Orioles’ thinking.
“When you have that kind of flexibility in the infield that Blaze Alexander can bring, it really, really helps your team,” Kurkjian said.
Alexander arrives in Baltimore as a new and versatile option with experience at several positions. He played in 74 games for the Diamondbacks in 2025, hitting .230/.323/.383 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs in 266 plate appearances.
Defensively, he got significant time across the infield, playing 54 games at third base and 14 at second base. He will offer the Orioles a flexible option as he can fill many roles on the field.
Despite the change causing some concerns, Kurkjian defended the decision.
“You can find relief pitchers as you go,” he said. “There are so many good guys out there — middle, late, in-between guys. You can find help in the bullpen much easier than other places.”
For more from Kurkjian, listen to the full interview here:
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