The Houston Astros seem bound to lose their ace, Framber Valdez, in free agency this winter. They don’t have the money to spend to keep up in a bidding war for the lefty.

The New York Mets have been closely linked to Valdez for the last few months, but nothing has come to fruition. The Mets desperately need to add a starting pitcher or two, and Valdez is the top name on the market. Still, there are plenty of other suitors for the two-time All-Star.

CBS Sports’ RJ Anderson predicted Valdez would sign a deal with the Baltimore Orioles instead of the Mets this winter.

“Preexisting relationships don’t mean much when it comes to the free-agent market,” Anderson wrote. “Still, Valdez joining the Orioles, thereby reuniting with some of the Astros’ old brass, continues to make the most sense on paper. He’d provide Baltimore’s rotation with a boost and would serve as a fitting capper to an eventful offseason that already saw the Orioles add Pete Alonso, Taylor Ward, Shane Baz, and Ryan Helsley to their roster.”

The Orioles have been very aggressive this offseason after putting together a disappointing campaign last year.

They could cap off the perfect offseason by landing Valdez on a huge deal. It’s unclear if they’ll have the money to outbid teams like the Mets, but they still make perfect sense as a fit for the lefty.

Valdez is likely going to sign for more than $150 million this offseason. The Orioles could offer him a massive six-year deal to bring him to Baltimore as they look to close the gap in the very competitive American League East.