Red Sox to sign Walker Buehler

The Red Sox agree with the right-hander Walker Buehler on a one-year deal worth $21.05 million, according to a report from Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports. The deal is pending a physical and includes incentives that could raise the value beyond the aforementioned figure.

It’s an interesting deal for Buehler, as the $21.05MM guarantee perfectly mirrors the qualifying offer. Both Buehler himself and the Red Sox right-hander Nick Pivetta were considered borderline candidates to be extended QO at the beginning of winter. Ultimately, the Dodgers declined to extend the offer to Buehler, while the Red Sox did so for Pivetta, but were rebuffed. From a financial and roster perspective, today’s deal allows Buehler to secure the same guarantee he would have had the Dodgers extend him QO, while giving Boston the opportunity to add a veteran right-hander to its young rotation on a one-year deal. that mirrors what they offered Pivetta last month.

The 30-year-old right-hander was among the league’s most talented young starters during his rookie season back in 2018, pitching to a stellar 2.82 ERA (146 ERA+) with a 3.16 FIP over a four-season stretch from 2018-21. That stretch ended with Buehler finishing fourth in the NL Cy Young Award and trailing votes Corbin Burns, Zack Wheelerand Max Scherzer in a run that seemingly cemented his status as one of the league’s top aces. However, that career trajectory was derailed early in the 2023 season. Buehler pitched to a relatively pedestrian 4.02 ERA (101 ERA+) in 12 starts for the Dodgers that year before going on the injured list in June and ultimately requiring Tommy John surgery.

Buehler would not return to a major league mound until May 2024, nearly two full years later, and struggled mightily upon his return. Additional injuries limited Buehler to just 16 starts for the Dodgers this year, and even when he took the mound, the right-hander struggled mightily. Overall, Buehler pitched to a 5.38 ERA (72 ERA+) with a 5.54 FIP in his final regular season in a Dodgers uniform. That said, the righty managed to end his season on a positive note with a solid 3.60 ERA during the club’s run to the World Series championship this year. After a brutal start against the Padres in the NLDS, Buehler fired ten scoreless frames between the NLCS and the World Series while striking out a third of his opponents.

More on the way…