On February 4th, news of Framber Valdez signing a three-year, $115 million contract with the Detroit Tigers came as a shock to Baltimore fans. Throughout the winter, Valdez had been considered a “taken-home” target, a name associated with Mike Elias from his Houston days. And then, that door closed so quickly.
What made the disappointment even worse was the bigger picture. The Orioles had done many things right: adding depth, balancing the roster, reducing risk. But one thing was clear to everyone — they lacked a reliable frontline starter to be seen as a true World Series contender. Valdez was once the perfect solution: durable, experienced postseason starter, and capable of carrying the innings.
The good news is Baltimore isn’t completely out of options.
According to Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner, the Orioles have been in discussions with Zac Gallen, the most promising name remaining on the market. This indicates Baltimore isn’t frozen after the Valdez loss; they’re pivoting—quickly and decisively.
Gallen entered free agency after a disappointing 2025 season. His 13–15 record and 4.83 ERA in 192 innings were his worst ERA season in MLB. But looking only at the surface, one overlooks the things the Orioles value most: consistency, inning ability, and long-term track record. Gallen rarely misses games, has proven his mettle in the postseason, and has enough experience to be a pillar of the rotation.
Baltic needs that. Trevor Rogers has questions about consistency. The rest of the rotation is full of potential, but no one has been a consistent anchor throughout 162 games. Gallen, if he gets back on track, could fill the void left by Valdez—not with flash, but with stability.
Of course, this is a gamble. Gallen’s 2025 signing isn’t a small setback. The Orioles will have to reconsider the value of the contract, especially after learning costly lessons from risky pitching deals in the past. But this offseason period also presents an opportunity: prices may be more reasonable, terms more flexible, and players’ bounce-back motivation is often very high.
It’s worth noting that the Orioles aren’t obligated to sign another starter before the season. They can play it safe, trust in their depth, and wait for the deadline. But there’s a fine line between “good enough” and “good enough to win a championship.” Signing Gallen could be crossing that line—or at least, showing the ambition to pay the price to cross it.
Valdez chose Detroit. Baltimore has no room for regret. The question now is whether they dare to put their faith in a different direction, accepting calculated risks to complete the picture. With Gallen in their sights, the Orioles are facing a final winter decision — a decision that could shape how the entire league views them in 2026.
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