Walker Buehler Begins New Chapter with Boston Red Sox

Walker Buehler is set to embark on the next phase of his career with the Boston Red Sox after spending his entire professional tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers. According to Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports, Buehler and the Red Sox have reached an agreement on a one-year contract valued at $21.05 million. Buehler's final season with the Dodgers did not unfold as planned, particularly as he faced challenges following an injury.

The 30-year-old pitcher signed a one-year deal worth $8.025 million last offseason to avoid arbitration but was sidelined for the entire 2023 campaign due to Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in August 2022. Although there was optimism that Buehler might return to pitch in relief at the end of the season, the Dodgers ultimately chose to shut him down to avoid rushing his recovery.

Despite a difficult season in 2024, in which Buehler posted a 5.38 ERA across 75.1 innings over 16 starts, he demonstrated flashes of his former self during the postseason, where he allowed no runs in ten innings and secured a save against the New York Yankees in the World Series. This new contract with Boston represents a low-risk, high-reward opportunity for the organization, considering Buehler's previous Cy Young candidacy in 2021 when he recorded a 2.47 ERA.