The Boston Red Sox have signed free agent starting pitcher Walker Buehler to a one-year deal, Yahoo Sports’ Russell Dorsey reported Monday morning.
Per Dorsey, Buehler’s deal is worth $21.05 million, making the 30-year-old right-hander the highest-paid pitcher on Boston’s roster.
The contract, which is still pending a physical, also includes incentives.
Buehler is fresh off winning his second World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, recording the final out in the 2024 Fall Classic against the New York Yankees.
After tossing 5.0 scoreless frames in Game 3, Buehler came in and got the series-clinching save in Game 5.
For as successful as Buehler was in October, though, his 2024 season featured more downs than ups.
Buehler underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2022 and missed all of 2023. He returned to make 16 starts in 2024, going 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA, 1.553 WHIP, 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings and a -1.3 WAR.
The Red Sox continued to bolster their starting rotation on Monday, agreeing to terms with veteran right-hander Walker Buehler on a one-year, $21.05 million contract with incentives, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.
The deal, which was first reported by Russell Dorsey of Yahoo! Sports, has not been confirmed by the club and is pending a physical.
Entrusted with a one-run lead in Game 5, Buehler came on in the ninth and dispatched all three batters he faced, capping the performance with a nasty pitch to strike out Alex Verdugo.
The regular season, however, was a tough one for Buehler. After missing nearly two years due to his second Tommy John surgery in August 2021, Buehler struggled to look like the pre-injury version of himself for most of 2024.
While Buehler’s fastball velocity returned to his 2021-22 level, the lack of swing and miss and chases was evident.
What Buehler did in October gives the Red Sox confidence that there is still a solid starting pitcher there.
