ESPN: The Red Sox Sign the Yankee-Killing Starting Pitcher in a Blockbuster deal.
It’s likely that the New York Yankees believe they have had enough of Walker Buehler. Buehler, 30, crushed the Yankees in the 2024 World Series while pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team that selected him in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft. In the ninth inning of Game 5, with his team ahead by only one run, Buehler made a rare relief appearance.
After recording three fast outs, Buehler finished with a flourish, striking out Alex Verdugo and Austin Wells to earn his first career save in the regular season or postseason. The Dodgers won their first World Series in a full season since 1988 thanks to the save. (The Dodgers also won the World Series in 2020 after an expanded 16-team postseason tournament and a 60-game season cut short by the epidemic.)
After Buehler shut down the Yankees in Game 3 with five excellent shutout innings, giving up only two hits and two walks while striking out five, he made his dramatic, series-winning save on just one day of rest.
Buehler will haunt the Yankees as an Arch-Rival member.
However, the Yankees will need to reconsider their decision to cut ties with Buehler following his World Series performance. As a member of the Boston Red Sox’s starting rotation in 2025, Buehler will join the Yankees in the American League East and play a significant role in what is often regarded as baseball’s greatest and most intense rivalry.
Media sources state that Buehler, a free agent, agreed to a one-year, $21.05 million contract with the Red Sox on Monday.
The fact that Buelher’s contract value is the same as the qualifying offer the Red Sox made to starting pitcher Nick Pivetta following the 2024 season hardly seems like a coincidence. Since Pivetta turned down the offer, the Red Sox have effectively improved from Pivetta at no extra expense (although Buelher’s contract is rumored to have certain incentive clauses that might increase his salary).
Buehler’s Wins Above Replacement (WAR) figure is greater, 12.2 to 9.8, even though he has pitched 131 games in his career compared to Pivetta’s 223, and just 713 2/3 innings compared to Pivetta’s 1,029 1/3. This indicates that even though Buelher has pitched more less than Pivetta, he has contributed more value to his club.
Boston Now Focuses on a Closer Role
Garrett Crochet, a lefty ace acquired in a deal with the Chicago White Sox, has been added to the Red Sox’s likely starting rotation. Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito, Buehler, Tanner Houck, and Crochet. In January 2024, Giolito signed a two-year, $38.5 million contract with the Red Sox; however, the former White Sox starter missed the whole season due to an elbow injury sustained during Spring Training.
Now that the rotation is established, the Red Sox can focus on the bullpen, which was the main cause of the team’s collapse during the All Star break. The Red Sox relievers had a 4.39 ERA, which was seventh-worst in baseball, and blew 31 saves, which was the second-highest in MLB.
Aroldis Chapman, a seasoned fireballer, was signed by the Red Sox earlier this month. However, despite his strong fastball, Chapman is usually regarded as lacking the strike zone command necessary to be a dependable closer.
The Red Sox may still be looking for a proven ninth-inning specialist as a result of this, according to some rumors. That closer may be Tanner Scott, an eight-year veteran who saved 18 games for the Miami Marlins in 2024 before being traded to San Diego, where he saved four more for the Padres, according to a prediction made by the Red Sox cable TV network NESN.
