Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Walker Buehler (illness) is scheduled to take the mound against the Texas Rangers on Saturday. The right-hander was scratched from his most recent start due to a minor illness. It sounds like Buehler looked fine during his five innings of work on Monday. The team doesn't believe this illness will linger into the regular season, so Buehler appears to be ready to go. Buehler is coming off a rough 2024 campaign, but he somewhat salvaged his value with his strong performance in the postseason. It's worth noting Buehler hasn't finished with an ERA under 4.02 since the 2021 season. He could be a solid back-end option for the Red Sox, but his fantasy value might be limited.
Walker Buehler Scratched On Sunday With An Illness
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Walker Buehler was scratched from his scheduled Grapefruit League start on Sunday due to an illness. Fantasy managers can breathe a collective sigh of relief. The righty will work in camp on the back fields on Monday and Cooper Criswell will start in his place on Sunday. The former first-round draft pick has looked good this spring, allowing two earned runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out 11 batters in 10 innings pitched. After a rough couple of seasons in Los Angeles and dealing with injuries, the 2x All-Star will look to get his career back on track in Boston. The 30-year-old has an NFBC ADP of 250, but has the talent to outproduce that, especially given his environment with the Red Sox.
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Walker Buehler is interested in remaining in Boston for the foreseeable future. Earlier in the offseason, Buehler signed a one-year contract worth $21.05 million after spending his entire professional career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. As a Dodger, Buehler was a two-time World Series champion. He was a two-time NL All-Star and tallied double-digit wins in two seasons. He enjoyed his best campaign in 2021, when he logged a career-high 207 2/3 innings with a 2.47 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. Last season, Buehler held a much higher 5.38 ERA with a 1.55 WHIP as he returned from Tommy John surgery. However, in the postseason, Buehler showed flashes of upside as he held a 3.60 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP across 13 innings of work. If the Vanderbilt product returns to form during the 2025 season, he could have several suitors in the offseason. Fantasy managers should expect Buehler to operate as the No. 3 option in the Boston rotation this season, behind Garrett Crochet and Tanner Houck.
According to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Walker Buehler threw his first bullpen session on Saturday. McCaffrey noted that manager Alex Cora was "pleased" with Buehler's first session. During the 2024 season, the 30-year-old held a 5.38 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP across 75 1/3 innings of work. He generated strikeouts at a low 18.6 percent rate and whiffs at a 19.4 percent rate. However, he did generate ground balls at a 45.9 percent rate, which placed him in the 69th percentile. In the postseason, Buehler held a strong 3.60 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP across 15 frames. The former first-round selection enjoyed a career season during the 2021 season, where he posted a 2.47 ERA with a 0.99 WHIP across 207 2/3 innings. He signed a one-year contract with Boston earlier in the offseason and should be expected to have a spot in the rotation during the 2025 campaign.
Free-agent right-hander Walker Buehler and the Boston Red Sox agreed to a one-year, $21.05 million deal on Monday, according to sources. The two-time All-Star will head to the American League East after helping the Los Angeles Dodgers win the World Series in October. Buehler can make more money in incentives in 2025 as he looks to bounce back from a frustrating 2024 season in which he had a bloated 5.38 ERA over 16 starts for the Dodgers in the regular season in his return from Tommy John surgery. The 30-year-old veteran was a high-end fantasy arm before undergoing elbow surgery. Although he looked much better in the playoffs with the Dodgers, Buehler has thrown only 140 1/3 innings in the last three seasons due to injury. If Buehler can stay healthy and regain some of his fastball velocity, he could be a fantasy bargain in a rebuilt Red Sox rotation.
Walker Buehler Looking For Multi-Year Deal With Opt-Outs
According to Buster Olney of ESPN, free agent starting pitcher Walker Buehler is looking for a multi-year deal with opt-outs on the market. After having a rocky regular season holding a 5.38 ERA and 1.55 WHIP, Buehler played an integral role during Los Angeles' World Series run, posting a solid 3.60 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP across 15 innings of work. Earlier in his career, the right-hander showed high upside, making two All-Star games and logging a career-high 207 2/3 innings to the tune of a 2.47 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in the 2021 campaign. Olney notes that given his strong finish, the 30-year-old could enjoy a nice bounce-back campaign in 2025, which could set him up for a nice payday in 2026 if his contract includes opt-outs. Olney also stated that the Yankees expressed interest in him before signing Max Fried and that the Red Sox, Tigers, and Giants have also kicked the tires on him.
The Detroit Tigers have interest in signing free-agent right-hander Walker Buehler this offseason. However, Buehler has the potential to command a two-year deal with an opt-out clause after the first year, which isn't really what the Tigers are looking for. Starting pitching isn't cheap this offseason, and although Buehler struggled in his return from Tommy John surgery in 2024 during the regular season, he's a two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion. The 30-year-old had a rough 5.38 ERA with 28 walks and 64 strikeouts in 75 1/3 innings (16 starts) for LA in his return from his second Tommy John surgery of his career. Most of his issues came from his fastball velocity being down, but if Buehler can find his fastball again, he could easily be one of the best values on the starting pitching market this offseason. Buehler did toss 10 scoreless innings in his final three games in October.
According to the New York Post's Joel Sherman, the New York Mets have shown interest in signing free-agent right-hander Walker Buehler this offseason after just signing veteran right-hander Frankie Montas for their starting rotation. The Montas signing and the fact they are interested in Buehler signals that the Mets aren't playing at the top of the starting pitching market for big names like Corbin Burnes and Max Fried. Even after struggling to a 5.38 ERA with a weak 18.6% strikeout rate in 75 1/3 innings during the regular season in his return from Tommy John surgery, plenty of pitching-needy teams are in on Buehler this offseason, including the Athletics. The fact that Buehler showed added velocity and looked much better in the Dodgers' World Series run in October is helping his cause. Even if Buehler doesn't rediscover his pre-injury form, he could be a quite attractive value play in fantasy drafts if he lands in the right situation.
MLB Network's Jon Morosi reports that the Atlanta Braves have some interest in signing free-agent right-hander Walker Buehler this winter. Left-hander Max Fried and veteran right-hander Charlie Morton are both free agents and may not be back in Atlanta, while right-handed ace Spencer Strider is still recovering from right-elbow surgery that kept him sidelined for most of 2024. Buehler didn't look so great in his initial return from Tommy John surgery during the regular season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he looked much better in the postseason in October and has Kentucky roots, so a return close to home could be appealing. Morosi also mentions the Chicago Cubs as a possibility to land Buehler this offseason. The 30-year-old picked up the save in the World-Series clinching victory of the Yankees and he'll be looking to bounce back in 2025 after going 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA in 16 regular-season starts.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler was tasked to record the final three outs in the Game 5 of the World Series. Buehler previously got the starting nod in Game 3 of the World Series but was available out of the bullpen on Wednesday. In the final frame, the 30-year-old got Anthony Volpe to ground out and then proceeded to strike out the next two batters, Austin Wells and Alex Verdugo en route to winning his second World Series. This postseason, Buehler logged 15 innings to the tune of a 3.60 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. During the regular season, the right-hander carried a 5.38 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP.
Walker Buehler
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Red Sox
