Former Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star and World Series champion Walker Buehler has been released by the Boston Red Sox, the team announced.
Buehler is now free to join any team in a shocking turn of events. If Buehler joins a team before Sept. 1, he will be eligible to play in the postseason.
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Why Did Red Sox Release Walker Buehler?
Buehler joined the Red Sox on a one-year, $21.05 million deal this offseason after his heroic performance last October to help lead the Dodgers to their second World Series title in five years.
However, last year’s regular season struggles continued this season, as Buehler had a 5.45 ERA across 112.1 innings with the Red Sox.
Buehler was moved to the bullpen last week and made just one relief appearance, allowing two runs in 2.1 innings. Now, he’s hitting the open market just days before the final month of the regular season begins.
Could the Dodgers Bring Back Walker Buehler?
Buehler is now free to join any team for the prorated league minimum for the rest of the season.
Thus, the Dodgers could technically bring him back.
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As long as Buehler joins a team before Sept. 1 — even on a minor league deal — he’s eligible to play in the postseason.
Would the Dodgers Bring Back Walker Buehler?
While the Dodgers could bring Buehler back, the bigger question is if they would.
The Dodgers’ starting rotation is as healthy as it’s been in years, meaning there wouldn’t be a spot for the former All-Star there.
Buehler theoretically could factor into the team’s bullpen, but LA is also getting healthier there too, and it’s hard to imagine Buehler getting any innings over the current options.
While Buehler is known to turn things on in October, it would be quite a risk for the Dodgers to take that chance when they don’t need to.
Buehler returning to LA would be an incredible story, but it’s difficult to imagine LA giving him innings in the midst of a postseason race barring any significant injuries.
Photo Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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8 Responses
He will never be the pitcher he once was, unless he takes a lot of time to get healthy and work his way back to something akin to success he had before. It might be good for him to go to Japan where he could rebuild his craft in a less intensive scheduled league. But back with the Dodgers…NO WAY unless it is as a coach…
NEVER!!!!
Dodgers should be all over that. Rotation is set but could put him in the bullpen and see how he does. As we know, 10 short months ago he won Game 3 and helped close out the WS at Yankee Stadium and was nails.
Whom would you replace on the roster?
What do the dodgers have to lose? Make him the reliever that Dustin May didn’t want to be for the playoffs. With “injury” being the dodgers middle name, he may be insurance. What do the dodgers have to lose if it doesn’t work out? Maybe I’m wrong, but not much that I can see. He was fun to watch pitch when he was on his game. Hell, the dodgers have given Betts and Conforto lengthy try outs in the line-up Ha!
You lose the guy he replaces.
The guy he replaces is more than likely going on the IL. For instance, Glasnow is reported to have back tightness now, and as we know, the pattern with this pitching staff is in the direction of injury prone. But it’s a moot point as Buehler is with Philadelphia now, in a position that the dodgers may have been wise to contemplate. But they don’t look much like playoff contenders so it’s a double moot point at this time.
Huge Buehler fan. I was disappointed they did not even extend a QO in the offseason. Things didn’t work out as well as they could have in Boston, but I’d love to see him back in Dodger blue in time to make the post season roster. Only starter who was on the 2020 and 2024 WS roster, so we know what he can do. Beast mode in the WS. Little to lose IMO.