Framber Valdez buzz around the Orioles could be hiding a contender nobody is watching

After the Mets traded for Brewers ace Freddy Peralta, it seemed like a forgone conclusion that pitcher Framber Valdez would finally sign a free agent deal with the Baltimore Orioles. But that has yet to happen, and some Orioles fans are beginning to become rather anxious. What's the hold up?

There are certainly a lot of theories. Baltimore has been linked to Zac Gallen, so perhaps the front office is weighing their options. There's also the infamous cross-up between Valdez and his batterymate Cesar Salazar, though that seems to be getting more traction than it deserves. Others have cited on Valdez's age (32) as the reason his market has grown cold.

All those are certainly possible, but the O's have been linked to Valdez since the offseason began and, according to a number of sources, are still in pursuit of his services. So while all those theories may affect the length of his free-agent contract or the amount he eventually receives, the more likely scenario is that at least one more team is still involved in negotiations with Valdez's camp.

Are the Giants looking to undercut the Orioles and steal Framber Valdez?

MLB insider Héctor Gómez recently claimed that one of his sources metioned the San Francisco Giants as a potential suitor for Valdez. According to Gómez, talks have intensified between the Giants and Valdez while the Orioles and Mets continue to show a lot of interest.

There've been times over the years when Gómez has gotten his wires crosses and his reports have missed the mark. Recently, however, he was the first to report the seven-year contract extension between the Cleveland Guardians and All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez.

Gómez's reporting not withstanding, the Giants could be a real threat to sign Valdez. Even with their improved roster, San Fran is one arm short of being able to go toe-to-toe with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

The Giants are one of the few teams who can come close to matching LA's spending power, and adding Valdez alongside Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Adrian Houser, and Tyler Mahle could turn San Francisco's starting rotation into the best in the league.

Most experts still expect Valdez to land in Baltimore, but Orioles fans shouldn't sleep on the Giants. The southpaw's lingered on the open market much longer than expected, but if his price comes down, more teams are sure to join the pursuit.