Walker Buehler has agreed to a contract with an American League team, and it is now fair to wonder whether the Los Angeles Dodgers wanted the veteran pitcher back.
Buehler has agreed to a 1-year, $21.05 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, according to Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports.
Breaking: Right-hander Walker Buehler and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a one-year, $21.05 million deal which includes incentives, sources tell @YahooSports. The two-time World Series champion with the Dodgers now becomes the veteran arm in Boston’s new-look rotation.
— Russell Dorsey (@Russ_Dorsey1) December 23, 2024
While Buehler’s contract includes incentives, the base salary is noteworthy. The $21.05 million figure is the exact amount that players who accept qualifying offers from their teams will be paid in 2025.
The Dodgers could have extended Buehler a qualifying offer, but they chose not to. At the time, it looked like L.A. might have been trying to help Buehler attract the best offers in free agency. Players who decline qualifying offers can sometimes be less attractive to other teams in free agency, because those teams are penalized a draft pick upon signing such players.
Buehler ended up with a 1-year, $21.05 million deal anyway. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported earlier this month that Buehler likely would have accepted the qualifying offer from the Dodgers. It is possible L.A. simply did not want the 30-year-old pitcher back, which is surprising.
Buehler went 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA in 75.1 innings last season as he returned from Tommy John surgery. He looked much more like his old self in the postseason and went 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 15 innings. Buehler is a two-time All-Star who was completely dominant in 2021 with a 16-4 record and 2.47 ERA.
The Red Sox have made some significant additions to their pitching staff this winter. If Buehler returns to form in 2025, he could be one of the best signings of the offseason.
