Walker Buehler DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Free-agent right-hander Walker Buehler and the Boston Red Sox agreed to a one-year, $21.05 million deal on Monday, according to sources. The two-time All-Star will head to the American League East after helping the Los Angeles Dodgers win the World Series in October. Buehler can make more money in incentives in 2025 as he looks to bounce back from a frustrating 2024 season in which he had a bloated 5.38 ERA over 16 starts for the Dodgers in the regular season in his return from Tommy John surgery. The 30-year-old veteran was a high-end fantasy arm before undergoing elbow surgery. Although he looked much better in the playoffs with the Dodgers, Buehler has thrown only 140 1/3 innings in the last three seasons due to injury. If Buehler can stay healthy and regain some of his fastball velocity, he could be a fantasy bargain in a rebuilt Red Sox rotation.

According to Buster Olney of ESPN, free agent starting pitcher Walker Buehler is looking for a multi-year deal with opt-outs on the market. After having a rocky regular season holding a 5.38 ERA and 1.55 WHIP, Buehler played an integral role during Los Angeles' World Series run, posting a solid 3.60 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP across 15 innings of work. Earlier in his career, the right-hander showed high upside, making two All-Star games and logging a career-high 207 2/3 innings to the tune of a 2.47 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in the 2021 campaign. Olney notes that given his strong finish, the 30-year-old could enjoy a nice bounce-back campaign in 2025, which could set him up for a nice payday in 2026 if his contract includes opt-outs. Olney also stated that the Yankees expressed interest in him before signing Max Fried and that the Red Sox, Tigers, and Giants have also kicked the tires on him.

The Detroit Tigers have interest in signing free-agent right-hander Walker Buehler this offseason. However, Buehler has the potential to command a two-year deal with an opt-out clause after the first year, which isn't really what the Tigers are looking for. Starting pitching isn't cheap this offseason, and although Buehler struggled in his return from Tommy John surgery in 2024 during the regular season, he's a two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion. The 30-year-old had a rough 5.38 ERA with 28 walks and 64 strikeouts in 75 1/3 innings (16 starts) for LA in his return from his second Tommy John surgery of his career. Most of his issues came from his fastball velocity being down, but if Buehler can find his fastball again, he could easily be one of the best values on the starting pitching market this offseason. Buehler did toss 10 scoreless innings in his final three games in October.