Fastball

New Boston Red Sox Pitcher Set to Join Rare Team History with Uniform Number

Walker Buehler will go from his familiar No. 21 to No. 0 in Boston.

Brady Farkas

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler (21) throws a pitch against the New York Mets in the first inning during game three of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field on Oct 16.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler (21) throws a pitch against the New York Mets in the first inning during game three of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field on Oct 16. / John Jones-Imagn Images
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Right before the Christmas holiday, it was announced that the Boston Red Sox had come to an agreement with right-handed pitcher Walker Buehler.

The pact is for one-year and $21.05 million. ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney said that the Red Sox actually offered Buehler a three-year deal, but his camp preferred to hit free agency again after the 2025 season.

Not only is Buehler switching teams by leaving the Los Angeles Dodgers, he's also switching numbers. After donning No. 21 in LA, Buehler will be wearing No. 0 with the Sox.

In doing so, he'll join some odd numerical history. Per Steve Perrault of the popular Section 10 podcast:

Certainly didn’t expect Walker Buehler to pick #0 but I like it. I do wonder if there’s any meaning behind it.

Only the 3rd player in Red Sox history to wear the number, joining Brandon Phillips and Adam Ottavino.

Phillips, a three-time All-Star, played just nine games with the Red Sox in the 2018 season, his final season in the big leagues. Ottavino played for the Red Sox in 2021, appearing in 69 games as the team advanced all the way to the ALCS. That's the last time the Sox even made the playoffs, having missed it in each of the last three years.

Prior to having Tommy John surgery at the end of 2022, Buehler was one of the best arms in all of baseball. From 2017-2022, he went 46-16 and helped the Dodgers get to the World Series in 2017 and 2018 before winning the title in 2020. Coming back this year, he went just 1-6 but did come up big for the Dodgers in the playoffs, helping them win the World Series again.

If the Red Sox get the prior version of Buehler, they have a solid chance to contend for the American League East title in 2025. Buehler will pair with Garrett Crochet, Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello and Tanner Houck in the starting rotation. It's a rotation with some questions, but some real upside as well.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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