The Orioles’ rotation already appears to be in much better shape than it was heading into last spring. They’re still one move away from it becoming a true strength of their roster. 

Coming off a season in which their starters ranked 24th in MLB with a 4.64 ERA, the Orioles made the rotation a priority this winter. They traded a haul for Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Shane Baz and re-signed Zach Eflin on a one-year, $10 million deal, bolstering a staff that already included holdovers Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Dean Kremer and Tyler Wells. 

But while the club has built up enough depth to withstand an onslaught of injuries similar to the ones it endured each of the past two seasons, the Orioles are still missing an ace that would elevate their rotation enough to stack up with the best in the American League. 

While this offseason’s free agency class doesn’t have headliners like last year’s group led by Corbin Burnes, Max Fried and Blake Snell, there are two frontline starters still available who be worthy No. 1 starters: Framber Valdez and Ranger Suárez. Here’s a look at how their cases compare to each other with both still on the market. 

Framber Valdez

LHP | 32 years old | 5’11, 220 lbs | two-time All-Star 

Pitch mix: 94.2 mph sinker (45%), 79.4 mph curveball (33%), 89.8 mph changeup (18%), 84.4 mph slider (3%), 94.3 mph four-seam fastball (1%) 

2025 stats: 13-11, 31 games (31 starts), 192 innings, 3.66 ERA, 3.37 FIP, 1.25 WHIP, 187 strikeouts, 68 walks, 15 home runs, 4.0 FanGraphs wins above replacement (fWAR) 

Valdez has been among the most consistent starters in the game the past four seasons, compiling 83 quality starts for the Houston Astros over that span — second in MLB over that span behind only Logan Webb (85). He’s an elite groundball pitcher who makes up for modest strikeout totals by generating weak contact and keeping the ball in the yard. 

He did just turn 32, relatively old for a first-time free agent. Valdez was also at the center of a cross-up controversy last season when he hit catcher César Salazar with a sinker in the chest after the backstop called for a curveball. Both sides said it was the result of a miscommunication, but it raised concerns over whether Valdez threw it intentionally. 

However, Valdez has received Cy Young Award votes in four different seasons and won the World Series with Houston in 2022, doing his part with a 1.44 ERA in four playoff starts. He entered free agency behind only Dylan Cease, who signed with the Toronto Blue Jays for seven years and $210 million, as the top starter available this winter and has proven durable with just one short stint on the injured list since 2022. 

Ranger Suárez

LHP | 30 years old | 6’1, 217 lbs | 2024 All-Star 

Pitch mix: 90.1 mph sinker (29%), 79.5 mph changeup (19%), 86.4 mph cutter (17%), 73.9 mph curveball (16%), 91.3 mph four-seam fastball (15%), 79.7 mph slider (4%) 

2025 stats: 13-11, 26 games (26 starts), 157 1/3 innings, 3.20 ERA, 3.21 FIP, 151 strikeouts, 38 walks, 14 home runs, 4.0 fWAR 

Suárez doesn’t have as long of a track record as Valdez, but he has a similar profile as a groundball pitcher and is two years younger. The Philadelphia Phillies made him a full-time starter in 2022 and he worked through some early walk issues before breaking out in 2024, posting a 3.46 ERA in 27 starts and making his first career All-Star Game. 

He followed that up with a 3.20 ERA in 26 starts last season, though lower back stiffness sent him to the IL for the second straight year. Suárez has excelled on the October stage with a 1.48 postseason ERA in 11 games (eight starts) for the Phillies, including five shutout innings in Game 3 of the 2022 World Series against the Astros. 

MLB Trade Rumors projected Suárez to land a five-year, $115 million deal this winter, the same length but fewer dollars than Valdez (five years, $155 million). Suárez doesn’t throw as hard and sits below league average in swinging strike rate (9.3%), making his ability to miss barrels critical to his value as a starter. 

The verdict: Suárez has shown plenty of ace-like flashes in his career but likely still profiles as a No. 2/3 starter with some room to grow. Valdez at his best is already an ace that a World Series-winning team leaned on to lead its rotation. If the Orioles are prioritizing winning in 2026 over all else, Valdez is the better bet. Long term, Suárez offers the better chance of pitching well deep into his contract given his age. 

Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/ByMattWeyrich and instagram.com/bymattweyrich.