Story byCould the Philadelphia Phillies Be In Play for Framber Valdez?Tommy WildTue, January 20, 2026 at 2:11 AM UTC·2 min readThe Philadelphia Phillies are still one big move away from truly establishing themselves as a World Series contender for the 2026 season, and there are multiple directions Dave Dombrowski and the front office could take to do so. While the lineup could definitely use another right-handed hitter, and a veteran outfielder could be a nice addition, too, the Phillies have some concerns with their starting rotation depth, and their is still options on the open market to upgrade it. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMLB Network’s Jon Morosi believes Philadelphia could be a potential landing spot for the top remaining starting pitcher on the free agent market: Framber Valdez.“I would also say this, we have not heard a ton about the team that Ranger Suarez left as being a possible landing spot for Framber Valdez,” said Morosi.“When you look at the Phillies’ depth chart for pitching, there's a spot there where you could certainly see a veteran sliding in. So I would say, let's not close off the possibility of Framber to the Phillies quite yet.”Apr 2, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn ImagesThe Phillies could definitely use some more depth in their rotation, especially after, as Morosi mentions, Ranger Suarez departing to the American League East. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRight now, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo, Taijuan Walker, and probably Andrew Painter will be the Opening Day starting rotation, assuming Zack Wheeler isn’t healthy for the start of the season. If the Phillies could sign Valdez, he would immediately slide in towards the top of their rotation.
