The stove is heating up, and the Baltimore Orioles are squarely in the spotlight as one of the teams with both the financial flexibility and the competitive window to make a major splash. One name that continues to hover around their offseason plans? Framber Valdez.

The left-hander is drawing serious attention on the open market, and at least one rumor has the New York Mets pegged as the frontrunner to land him-potentially on a six-year, $200 million deal. That’s a hefty investment for a team trying to bounce back from a chaotic 2024 season, but it’s also a clear indicator that the market for top-tier starting pitching is moving fast. And for the Orioles, that should be a wake-up call.

Baltimore entered the offseason with a clear need: bolster the rotation. After a breakout season that saw them emerge as a legitimate contender in the American League, the next step in their evolution is shoring up the starting staff. But so far, their moves have raised more questions than answers.

They dealt a starting pitcher-albeit one who struggled with consistency-in order to bring in some much-needed power to the outfield. That’s a fair trade-off in terms of roster balance, but it doesn’t address the rotation void.

Their most notable free-agent signing to date has been All-Star closer Ryan Helsley, a high-upside bullpen arm who still needs some fine-tuning. It’s a strong addition, but it doesn’t move the needle on the rotation front.

Still, the Helsley signing signals something important: the Orioles are willing to spend. And if they’re serious about taking the next step, that spending needs to extend to a frontline starter like Valdez.

Valdez checks a lot of boxes for Baltimore. He brings postseason pedigree from his time with the Astros, has been a durable and reliable presence in the rotation, and-depending on how the market shakes out-might not require a decade-long commitment. That’s a rare combination in today’s free-agent landscape.

With Dylan Cease now off the board after signing with the Blue Jays, the pitching market is thinning. Cease’s deal reportedly totals $210 million, but with deferrals, its present-day value is closer to $180 million.

That figure once looked like the ceiling for Valdez, but with Cease setting the bar, Valdez’s price tag could now climb even higher. And that’s precisely why the Orioles need to act quickly.

Valdez met with teams during last month’s GM Meetings, and there’s a growing sense that he could sign before the Winter Meetings kick off. If the Mets are already floating contract figures, Baltimore can’t afford to sit on the sidelines.

They have the financial flexibility. They have the roster need.

And they have a fan base ready to see this team take the next leap.

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand recently named Valdez as a perfect fit for Baltimore, and it’s easy to see why. He brings both high-floor reliability and big-game experience-exactly what a young, playoff-hopeful team needs anchoring its rotation. And while there are some concerns surrounding his temperament and clubhouse presence, the Orioles are in a position where the risk might be worth the reward.

After all, this team came into last offseason with similar rotation concerns and ultimately didn’t land a true frontline starter. They can’t afford to repeat that mistake. The AL East isn’t getting any easier, and with the Blue Jays making aggressive moves, the pressure is on Baltimore to respond.

Framber Valdez might not be a perfect pitcher, but he’s the kind of arm who can change the outlook of a season. For the Orioles, that’s exactly what’s needed right now.

The money’s there. The opportunity’s there.

Now it’s just a matter of stepping up to the plate.