Earlier this week, the Boston Red Sox reached an agreement with right-handed starting pitcher Walker Buehler on a one-year, $21.05 million contract.
This is the same amount Buehler would have received had the Los Angeles Dodgers extended him a qualifying offer at the end of the season. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the deal contains up to $2.5 million in further incentives.
In 2015, the Dodgers picked Buehler out of pitching powerhouse Vanderbilt, and he underwent Tommy John surgery right away. Following his recuperation, he dominated the minor leagues before making his major league debut in 2017. By May 2018, Buehler has become an important member of the Dodgers’ starting rotation. Between 2018 and 2021, he was named to two All-Star teams and finished in the top 10 for the Cy Young Award. During that time, he went 39-13 with a 2.82 ERA, equivalent to a 146 ERA+.
Buehler missed the 2023 season after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery. And when he returned, he wasn’t the same pitcher. His once-elite fastball has lost some zip and much of its late action. When he returned to the mound following his second recuperation, he was a rather ordinary pitcher. However, the Dodgers stayed with him, having him start Game 3 of the National League Division Series (against the Padres), the National League Championship Series (against the Mets), and the World Series (against the Yankees).
As most baseball fans know, his most memorable appearance was his one-inning save in Game 5 of the fall classic, where he struck out two, including Alex Verdugo to secure the World Series victory for the boys in blue.
Los Angeles chose not to make a qualifying offer to Buehler, either because they believed it would limit his ability to sign a multi-year contract elsewhere, or because they were afraid he would say “yes.” The Red Sox had no such concerns. Boston’s Chief Baseball Officer, Craig Breslow, made no bones about the fact that the team wanted and needed to improve its pitching this off-season. At the MLB Winter Meetings in Dallas a few weeks ago, Breslow traded a package of prospects to the Chicago White Sox in return for front line starter Garrett Crochet.
And then, a few days later, he signed free agent lefty Patrick Sandoval to a two-year $18.25 million contract. Sandoval is recovering from his own Tommy John surgery, and most likely won’t be available to the Red Sox until after the All-Star break.
Crochet currently leads Boston’s starting rotation, followed by Tanner Houck, Buehler, Brayan Bello, and Kutter Crawford. Lucas Giolito, who recently underwent TJ surgery, is also in the mix. The Red Sox are no strangers to pitchers returning from this surgery, having previously employed James Paxton and Liam Hendricks at similar stages in their careers.
Buehler effectively replaces — for the same money — Nick Pivetta, who declined Boston’s qualifying offer and is unsigned as of this writing.
Buehler’s $21 million pillow contract allows him to prove to the baseball world that he can once again be “the guy” who started five Game 1s while with Los Angeles. He provides the Red Sox another powerful arm to help them compete in the tough American League East. Buehler will once again pitch in the Bronx in front of a raucous crowd full of ill will.
Buehler’s signing alone may reignite the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry. And if it does that, regardless of his success on the mound, it will be money well-spent.
