Where Do Dodgers’ Additions of Glasnow, Ohtani, and Yamamoto Leave Impending Free Agent Walker Buehler?
Right now might be the best winter to be a Dodger fan since … 2020? 1988? It’s been a while.
The two biggest free agents of the off-season are both Dodgers, while one of the best pitchers in the game just arrived via a trade and contract extension.
These moves hold implications for the rest of the Dodgers’ roster, Walker Buehler chief among them. A fan favorite, Buehler endeared himself to Los Angeles with his moxie on the mound and knack for performing during the big moments.
Now, after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery in late 2022, and with one year left of team control, Buehler’s future with the organization remains in question.
Looking ahead to 2025, Buehler might not have a spot in the rotation. Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Bobby Miller, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin and Emmet Sheehan all figure to be under contract and healthy enough to pitch. Even if the team moves to a six-man rotation, Buehler would be a bonus, not a necessity.
Beyond that, the financials could get tricky when trying to add Buehler. If he pitches well in 2024, he could price himself out of the Dodgers’ internal budget. The team has spent $1.1 billion this offseason alone and could turn to younger, cheaper options to fill out their rotation in the years to come. If Buehler pitches poorly, the Dodgers’ front office might move on from him for performance reasons.
As for 2024, Buehler projects to slot in to an incredibly deep rotation, reducing his burden to shoulder more innings than his elbow can handle. It could very well be the last season he dons Dodger Blue.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Are you subscribed to our YouTube Channel? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers, news, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more!
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. If Walker returns to his pre-surgery form he’s a good bet to stick, and be worth a good salary. Who knows at this point what shape May and Gonsolin will be in in 2025 or whether Sheehan’s potential will be fully realized.
I see May and Gonsolin as always being inconsistent. They should of been part of the trades. Sorry but I don’t see them a constant threat on the mound as starters. Maybe in bullpen where we need it most.
And Walker isn’t inconsistent?
Yes, he would be worth a good salary if he returns to form (and that is a BIG IF.) Walker is on his second Tommy John and one if often too many for many pitcher. So first he has to recover well enough to be considered a part of the rotation. Secondly, if he returns to his previous form, what makes anybody think he is going to give the Dodgers a home team deal? Having been through two TJ’s he may want the kind of security that the Dodgers may not be able to afford. Front line pitching will always be a need. But you can’t give somebody 30 million per year just because he has played for you for several years. They have to earn it each and every day.
Al Campanis, when he was the Dodge General Manager back in the day, said that the biggest thing he learned from Branch Rickey and Buzzie Bavasi was it better to trade a player (or led them go) one year too early than one year too late. The hardest thing management has to do is decide when it is time to let a player move on.
Yes but you don’t trade an Ace especially for a position player. And you don’t trade a dollar for four quarters ( see Kareem)
Exactly. Too many unknowns at this point, but I wager that not all of these pitchers will be in their previous form, either due to injury, loss of ability due to surgery, or their luck just plain ran out. Who will be left standing when the music starts?
Agree
I’ve seen enough guys come back as good or better from TJ that I’m optimistic Shoulder surgery gives me much more concern
Great pitching is so hard to find if Buehler is back give him a contract
I said before he got hurt that May should be a closer. He rarely goes deep in games anyways and has a great look for a closer
I doubt Gonsolin will take the mound for the Dodgers again
I recall the start of the 2023 Season when everyone was thinking we had too many starters. Then what happened? Again we begin a Season with too many for our rotation; but lets not forget how fragile these guys can be.
We need to first see how walker Buehler return’s if he is still a powerful pitcher then make decisions based on that.
True. I agree.
?. This is the dumbest, most ahistorical “analysis” since…..the 5 times in the last 7 years the Dodgers had an alleged surplus of pitching only to finish the season with not enought starters and a whipped bullpen come the end of the season.
Last year off season we had Kershaw,Syndergaard,Urias,Bauer,May,Gonsolin,Pepriot,,and Buehler.
Yet we had to start the season with Grove , and acquire Lynn.
Well, first things first. May, Gonsolin and Sheehan would 100% slot in behind Buehler unless he has a horrible set back. If he returns to form I see no reason they don’t offer him at least a Glasnow type deal. I would like to see them try and offer an extension this yr for at least a year. If he stays healthy I can see 2025 as a year where there are no limits. JMO. Love the fire he brings to the rotation
If Walker pitches well (no reason to believe he won’t), and stays healthy, then I have full confidence that the Dodgers will keep him around beyond ’25.
Are we already writing off Mr. Kershaw
No guarantee he returns to the Dodgers in 2024. He’s listening to the Rangers sales pitch. I’d love for him to come back this summer and get that 3,000th K. After that, he can do whatever he wants….
Bueller is due to be a big part of the coming dynasty.
Carrying on a conversation about 2025 is foolish with nothing known about 2024. Let’s enjoy these three tremendous acquisitions and see how 2024 turns out.
Bueler will get his feet wet then become the Dominant Pitcher that he’s always been and become the work horse of the rotation. And stand tall as the Top Dog of the pitching staff.
Kershaw cannot have the train wreck be the last thing Dodgers fans have in their minds. He will pitch for us again and with Clayton taking the trouble to have surgery and rehab I wouldn’t be surprised if he pitched 3 more years. It will go by fast!