The Baltimore Orioles are doing all they can to appease their fanbase after finishing in last place in the AL East last season. However, there's one move they must make to build more goodwill.

They must sign free-agent starting pitcher Framber Valdez, who has a six-year, $199.9 million ($33.3 million average annual value) market valuation, per Spotrac. The southpaw went 13-11 with a 3.66 ERA over 31 starts for the Houston Astros last season and is 81-52 with a 3.36 ERA over 188 career outings.

The Orioles were listed as the second-best fit for Valdez in free agency behind the New York Mets on Dec. 17, per The Athletic's Jim Bowden. However, they'll have to compete with teams like the Atlanta Braves, who are looking to add a big-time starting pitcher, via The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

Framber Valdez is Pitching Star Orioles Need

Baltimore needs pitching help, as it finished 26th in baseball with a 4.60 team ERA in 2025. The club has addressed the need this offseason by acquiring starter Shane Baz from the Tampa Bay Rays and reliever Andrew Kittredge from the Chicago Cubs, as well as signing closer Ryan Helsley in free agency. However, none of those hurlers are on Valdez's level. 

Baz went 10-12 with a 4.87 ERA for the Rays last season, which was his first full year in the big leagues. The 26-year-old could improve moving forward, but there's no guarantee.

Kittredge and Helsley are in a different category as relievers, but neither are star-level players. Kittredge notched a 3.40 ERA a 0.98 WHIP, and 15 holds over 58 appearances with the Orioles and Cubs last year, while Helsley had a 4.50 ERA and 21 saves over 58 outings for the St. Louis Cardinals and Mets.

Adding Valdez would give Baltimore stars on each side of the ball. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson is its homegrown cornerstone, and the club signed Pete Alonso to a blockbuster five-year, $155 million deal this offseason. However, its current starting pitchers don't stand out other than southpaw Trevor Rogers, who went 9-3 with a 1.81 ERA and 0.90 WHIP over just 18 starts last season. Before that, the 28-year-old recorded went 2-11 with a 4.92 ERA over 25 starts for the Miami Marlins and Orioles in 2024.

Valdez is a two-time All-Star and former All-MLB First Teamer. It's one thing to develop underrated players or possible diamonds in the rough, but getting a hurler of the native Dominican's caliber would be a special treat for Baltimore fans this holiday season.