Report: Red Sox signing RHP Walker Buehler to one-year deal

Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald on Dec 23, 2024

Published in Baseball

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BOSTON — The Red Sox aren’t done adding to their starting rotation.

According to multiple reports, the Red Sox are signing former Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler. The deal is reportedly for one year, $21.05 million and will allow the two-time World Series champion an opportunity to rebuild his market value in his first full season recovering from his second Tommy John surgery.

Buehler represents a fascinating buy low option for the Red Sox, who have already fortified their rotation by acquiring left-handers Garrett Crochet and Patrick Sandoval this winter.

The 30-year-old was for a stretch one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball, earning two All-Star nods while posting a 3.03 ERA with 408 strikeouts over 356 1/3 innings in four seasons between 2018-21. He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery in August of 2022, cutting that season short after only 12 starts, and he went on to miss all of 2023 as well.

Upon his return in 2024, Buehler was not the same guy. In 16 starts for the eventual World Series champions he posted a 5.38 ERA over 75 1/3 innings, but with the Dodgers rotation decimated by injury he wound up making four appearances in the playoffs.

His first playoff start did not go well, as he allowed six runs in five innings in Game 3 of the NLDS against San Diego, but he came through with two of his best outings of the season afterwards, throwing four scoreless innings to start Game 3 of the NLCS against the Mets and five scoreless in Game 3 of the World Series against the Yankees.

Buehler wound up closing out the decisive Game 5 of the World Series too, earning the save with a scoreless ninth to lock down Los Angeles' second World Series title in five years.

By signing a one-year deal, the Red Sox are betting that those last outings are a better reflection of who Buehler will be going forward another year removed from elbow surgery. The deal also likely closes off any more additions to the starting rotation, which now features Crochet, Buehler, Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito and Kutter Crawford plus depth options like Cooper Criswell, Richard Fitts, Quinn Priester, Hunter Dobbins and eventually Sandoval, who is also recovering from Tommy John surgery and isn't expected to be available until at least the second half.

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