After the Boston Red Sox released veteran right-hander Walker Buehler on Friday, the Philadelphia Phillies have stepped in and agreed to a contract with the veteran right-hander on Sunday, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney. The minor-league agreement is pending a physical, per The Athletic’s Matt Gelb.
Phillies betting on Walker Buehler turning his season around
While the thought of adding a 2024 World Series champion to the roster going into the 2025 postseason sounds enticing, with how mightily Buehler struggled both as a starter and a reliever, it’s a risk for the Phillies. Given the Phillies' recent struggles with veterans in the bullpen, adding Buehler is a bold call.
With the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2024 postseason, Buehler pitched to a 3.60 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 13 strikeouts in 15 innings.
However, this version of Buehler looks less like the starter-turned-reliever who helped the Dodgers win it all last year and more like a similar energy to Craig Kimbrel's royal crash out in the 2023 NLCS against the Arizona Diamondbacks to top off one of his worst seasons. With the constant Jordan Romano struggles, it doesn't seem worth it to take the risk.
Buehler struggled as a starter for Boston, with a 7-7 record and 5.45 ERA in 23 games (22 starts). Right before his release, however, the Red Sox attempted to salvage the remainder of the one-year, $21.05 million contract by moving Buehler to the bullpen.
Upon the move to the bullpen, Buehler allowed two earned runs in 1/3 of an inning in his only relief appearance with the team. As both a starter and a reliever, one main issue that persisted seemed to be the uncharacteristic command and control issues that have been prominent since his return from his second Tommy John surgery.
With 55 walks in 112 1/3 innings this season, that's the most of his career. Additionally, he had several games where he struggled to put batters away in 0-2 or 1-2 counts. It always seemed to cost him, which is a concern for the Phillies, who are trying to weed out relievers with the same problem as they prepare for October.
Despite his struggles, Buehler was a great clubhouse presence in Boston, and took accountability for his performance.
This shell of a hurler is the antithesis of how Buehler pitched in his prime. His issues, especially this late in the season, seem like an insane gamble even for the most secure of postseason contenders. However, Buehler did have some stellar starts this season, so if there's anyone who can fix him, it’s Phillies pitching coach Caleb Cotham, who had significant success this year in helping Taijuan Walker turn into a usable reliever.
When the calendar hits October, it usually awakens every issue within the Phillies bullpen; however, with the gamble on other veteran relievers, such as the recently acquired David Robertson, paying off there’s always a chance the struggling Buehler becomes a key piece of a postseason run.