Looking to stay relevant in the American League East heading into 2025, the Boston Red Sox have continued an active offseason to continue fortifying their pitching staff. According to an initial report from Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports, the Red Sox have signed right-hander Walker Buehler to a one-year, $21.05 million deal with incentives pending a physical.

Buehler, 30, was once one of the league’s top young starters after being drafted 24th overall by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015. He made his big league debut in 2017 to the tune of a 7.71 ERA in eight games before settling in the following year. He made 23 starts in 2018 posting a 2.62 ERA over 137 1/3 innings of work with a 9.9 strikeout per nine en route to a third-place finish in the Rookie of the Year voting. From 2019-2021 Buehler posted a 2.89 ERA, a 145 ERA+, and a 3.20 FIP over 71 starts, including two All-Star selections and a fourth-place finish in the Cy Young Award race in 2021. All signs pointed to one of the best young aces in the game as he was primed to lead the Dodgers for years to come.

However, 2022 threw a wrench into Buehler’s career as he made just 12 starts to a paltry 4.02 ERA (101 ERA+) in 12 starts for the Dodgers that year before going on the injured list in June and ultimately requiring Tommy John surgery. He wouldn’t return to the mound until May 2024, two years after the injury, and he continued to struggle on the mound between various injuries that limited him to just 16 starts for the Dodgers to the tune of a 5.38 ERA (72 ERA+) with a 5.54 FIP during the regular season. He did show signs of his former self during the Dodgers’ run to the World Series championship with a 3.60 ERA, including ten scoreless frames between the NLCS and the World Series while striking out a third of his opponents.

Between his recent injury history and performance on the mound, the Dodgers decided not to extend a qualifying offer to Buehler which becomes ironic as his reported deal is roughly equal to that of the QO. After signing Blake Snell, Buehler became expendable for the Dodgers as they turn their focus elsewhere for shaping their rotation but Buehler’s track record combined with his strong postseason certainly was enough for him to garner plenty of interest across the league with a short-term rebound contract like the one he has signed with the Red Sox the attractive factor.

The signing is another installment in the Red Sox efforts to bolster a bullpen with plenty of upside and optimism. Should Buehler return to form it would provide a formidable duo with the recently acquired Garrett Crochet as well as incumbent starter Tanner Houck. There is also Lucas Giolitio and Garrett Whitlock as reinforcements once they recover from injuries as well as newly acquired Patrick Sandoval who could be available at some point in the second half of the season. The signing of Buehler also helps lengthen the depth for the Red Sox who have Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Richard Fitts, and Cooper Criswell working into the rotation conversation alongside Quinn Priester and Michael Fulmer.

The Red Sox showed plenty of life in 2024 with an exciting young position core and decent rotation but injuries hampered them through the year. The rotation seems to be set for now as the Red Sox are expected to still be in play for some of the bigger names left on the free agent market and trade market, specifically a right-handed bat. They have been entertaining the idea of adding another bat like Alex Bregman or Nolan Arenado as well as Teoscar Hernández while also toying with the idea of moving left-handed slugger Triston Casas.

The activity of the Red Sox this offseason suggests a team not only looking to compete in 2025 but planning ahead to open a window of contention for years to come to keep up with the powerhouse Yankees and a young Orioles team continually on the rise in a competitive division.