Walker Buehler has an opportunity to thrive with the Red Sox, but he might not be in Boston for long.
After a great run with the Los Angeles Dodgers that included two World Series titles, Buehler signed a one-year deal with the Red Sox in MLB free agency. Speaking with the media Monday, Craig Breslow explained why the sides thought a short-term deal was a more prudent move than a contract with extra mileage.
“Given the success he had late in the season and the fact he’s still 30 and has a track record of being an elite pitcher, I don’t want to speak exclusively for him, but the chance to come to Boston — to compete on this stage — lined up,” Breslow told reporters. “Given the depth, the chance to bring in someone like Walker, who’s got this tremendous upside, but obviously has struggled to stay on the field over the last couple of years. It gave us a chance to take a really good rotation and potentially catapult it into an elite level.”
The one-year deal certainly made sense for the Red Sox, who weren’t in position to go any longer on a player who recently came off his second career Tommy John surgery. And the limited pact could set Buehler up nicely to cash in on the open market next year should he pitch at an All-Star level in 2025.
It’s obviously far too early to think about Buehler’s next step, though. The focus now will be on hitting the ground running in Boston, where a vastly improved rotation could result in the Red Sox ending their playoff drought.
