Boston adds two-time champion to rotation

The Red Sox reportedly made a significant roster move Monday morning.

Boston and right-handed starting pitcher Walker Buehler agreed to a one-year deal, as first reported by Yahoo Sports’ Russell Dorsey and confirmed by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. According to Dorsey, Buehler’s 2025 contract with the Red Sox will be valued at $21.05 million, which includes incentives.

Buehler’s first season in Boston will mark his first full campaign since coming off the second Tommy John surgery of his career. The 30-year-old still managed to make a big impact in 2024 for the Dodgers, who he helped win the World Series with a very strong playoff run. Buehler did not allow a single run between the National League Championship Series and the Fall Classic (10 innings total) and was called upon to pitch the final inning of Los Angeles’ championship-sealing triumph in New York.

A two-time All-Star with the Dodgers, Buehler’s best season to date was in 2021, when he finished fourth in the NL Cy Young voting. The Vanderbilt product went 16-4 with a 2.47 ERA that season, which was two years after he received Cy Young votes for a 14-4 campaign in which he logged a 3.26 ERA.

The reported Buehler addition marked the second high-profile starting pitcher transaction of the offseason for the Red Sox, who desperately needed to improve their staff. Buehler is expected to take a spot in the rotation somewhere behind new ace Garrett Crochet.