Crosstown rivals are at each other’s throats again. The Mets have been trying to chase the top mantle of the team that defines New York, but have been falling short of the Yankees for a long time. But with the way the offseason has gone, this is the best chance the Mets have to take over. But the Yankees are not making it easy.

After missing out on Ranger Suarez, the Mets are now going after another top starter in Framber Valdez. But it looks like the Yankees are also after the same player.

“The Yankees have reportedly “checked in” on free agent starter Framber Valdez, according to Jon Heyman,” reported Fireside Yankees.

The New York Mets have tracked Framber Valdez for years as rotation stability concerns persisted after 2025.

Reports consistently linked New York to Valdez while front office evaluations focused on innings reliability. Valdez delivered 192 innings in 2025 with a 3.66 ERA and 1.24 WHIP, showing overall dominance. That production matched theMets’s need for dependable workload amid recent rotation volatility and leaguewide concerns.

Momentum briefly shifted when the Mets’ interest cooled as attention moved toward Range Suarez’s contract talks.

Ranger Suarez was projected for five years and $115 million before his market resolved later elsewhere. During that window, the Yankees also evaluated Suarez while monitoring rotation health uncertainties entering the 2026 season.

Those talks quieted once Boston finalized Suarez at five years and $130 million contract agreement with Suarez.

With Suarez signed, league focus returned to Valdez and his projected six-year $200M range.

Heyman reported Valdez is unlikely to exceed $200 million, though a six-year deal remains plausible currently. Mets interest resurfaced immediately, but Yankees involvement added real competition to negotiations this offseason market.

Both teams have monitored Valdez’s performance metrics while preparing for rotation turnover risks entering 2026.

Valdez recorded 187 strikeouts across 192 innings in 2025, reinforcing frontline durability for contenders. His 1.24 WHIP supports consistent run prevention valued by Mets and Yankees front offices leaguewide. The New York Mets require innings stability after the 2025 collapse from 45-24 to an 83-79 season finish.

The New York Yankees face health questions with Cole’s recovery and multiple starters unavailable early during the 2026 season.

Valdez would slot atop the Mets’ rotation while pushing depth roles into a clearer structure for the staff.

In the Bronx, Valdez complements Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, and Carlos Rodon with workload certainty across the 2026 season. Contract projections near six years and $200M reflect age 32 durability expectations from evaluators leaguewide.

As attention centers on Valdez, both fanbases await a resolution shaping 2026 rotations across New York.

Framber Valdez now sits between Mets ambition and Yankees authority, a familiar New York standoff. Jon Heyman’s report confirms interest, but money and innings will decide which badge Valdez wears. In this city, rotations shape power, and Valdez could quietly redraw New York’s baseball hierarchy.

If not Valdez, the Yankees could go after Freddy Peralta

New York doesn’t bluff quietly, especially when the rotation board starts shrinking this late. The silence is strategic, the timing intentional, and the pressure very real. The Yankees are still circling answers after the Valdez chase complicated itself. That leaves Framber Valdez in focus, and Freddy Peralta suddenly very relevant to this conversation.

The New York Yankees have explored Freddy Peralta as Milwaukee listens, seeking rotation certainty before spring training. Reports note interest grew as Gerrit Cole rehabs post-surgery and Carlos Rodon returns in May. That context frames why New York monitors Peralta while free agency, including Cody Bellinger, stalls.

Milwaukee’s openness aligns with Peralta entering 2026 on an expiring $8 million contract season year.

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Peralta’s 2025 season supports attention, finishing 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA across 176.2 innings. Underlying indicators confirmed sustainability, including a 3.47 xERA, 3.64 FIP, and 107 Stuff+ mark value. Despite a 37.3% groundball rate, he limited damage with 28.4% hard-hit and .206 xBA.

That profile produced a +26 pitching run value, reflecting command and soft contact rates.

With rotation risk evident, Peralta’s durability helps reduce reliance on Will Warren and Luis Gil. Any deal likely sends pitching, possibly Gil or Warren, plus prospects Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz and Carlos Lagrange. Milwaukee needs power, making Spencer Jones relevant after 35 homers and a .274 average in 2025. Balancing cost and impact, New York added an $8 million arm without a long-term payroll commitment.

If Valdez slips away, the Yankees pivoting to Freddy Peralta feels deliberate, not desperate. Brian Cashman knows rotations age fast, and Peralta’s 17-6 season answers real October questions. In this market, an $8 million bet on Peralta looks like controlled conviction now.