In a stunning turn of events, the Boston Red Sox have agreed to a lucrative one-year, $21 million deal with right-handed pitching phenom Walker Buehler. The 30-year-old fireballer, fresh off a World Series title with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is set to bring his electric stuff to Beantown as the Red Sox load up on high-upside starting pitching talent.
From Dodger Blue to Red Sox Crimson
Buehler, a two-time All-Star who emerged as one of baseball’s most dominant starters from 2018-2021, is betting on himself with this short-term pact. After undergoing a second Tommy John surgery in 2022, the hard-throwing righty returned to the Dodgers rotation this year but struggled to find his footing, posting a 5.38 ERA across 16 starts.
However, Buehler’s postseason heroics proved he still has plenty left in the tank. The big-game pitcher tossed four shutout innings in an NLCS victory, followed by five more scoreless frames in a critical World Series win. In a jaw-dropping display of guts and guile, Buehler returned on just one day’s rest to slam the door on the Yankees in Game 5, securing the Dodgers’ championship.
Red Sox Bolster Pitching Arsenal
For the Red Sox, signing Buehler is the latest in a series of savvy moves to reinforce their once-shaky starting rotation. Boston, boasting a powerful lineup anchored by the game’s top three hitting prospects in Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer, has aggressively pursued pitching talent this winter.
In addition to Buehler, the Red Sox landed left-hander Garrett Crochet in a blockbuster trade, with the young southpaw projected to take the ball on Opening Day. The club also inked Patrick Sandoval to a two-year, $18.25 million deal, gambling on the lefty’s successful return from Tommy John surgery around August.
If Boston can get the best versions of Crochet and Buehler, as well as a healthy return from Sandoval, their pitching depth will be a distinct strength.
– Jeff Passan, ESPN MLB Insider
Can Buehler Regain Cy Young Form?
The million-dollar question is whether Buehler can recapture the magic that made him a Cy Young contender in 2021. That season, the righty went 16-4 with a sparkling 2.47 ERA, striking out 212 batters in 207.2 innings. Armed with a blistering four-seam fastball, devastating cutter, and wipeout breaking pitches, Buehler had the arsenal to dominate even the most fearsome lineups.
While his fastball velocity dipped into the low-90s during his rocky 2024 campaign, Buehler’s brilliant postseason run suggests he’s still capable of flashing his signature stuff when the lights shine brightest. If he can stay healthy and regain a tick or two on the radar gun, the Red Sox may have snagged one of the winter’s biggest bargains.
October Baseball Returns to Boston?
Red Sox Nation is buzzing with excitement over the prospect of a revitalized pitching staff backed by a star-studded lineup of homegrown talent. If Buehler and his fellow rotation mates can live up to their immense potential, Boston has all the ingredients to cook up a deep postseason run.
For Walker Buehler, the one-year deal represents a prime opportunity to prove he’s still one of the game’s elite arms. Should he regain his All-Star form, a massive payday awaits in the 2025-26 offseason. In the meantime, Red Sox fans will be treated to a front-row seat as the ultra-competitive righty looks to etch his name into Boston baseball lore.
