Dodgers' Walker Buehler Drawing Interest From 'About 10 Teams'

Valentina Martinez | Dec 10, 2024

Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler (21) pitches during the ninth inning against the New York Yankees in game four of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Dodgers free agent pitcher Walker Buehler has garnered interest from about 10 clubs, according to ESPN's Jesse Rogers.

Rogers believes Buehler helped boost his market value after throwing 10 scoreless innings between the National League Championship Series and World Series. Additionally, Buehler's heroics in the final inning of the World Series also helped make a strong case for the right-hander in free agency.

"A deal for Buehler could look like a shorter-term bet on himself after he returned from his second Tommy John surgery in 2024 though some teams still see him as the guy who finished fourth in Cy Young voting as recently as 2021," Rogers wrote. "That could mean a long-term deal of 3-4 years is still in the cards as he puts his injuries in the rearview mirror."

The Dodgers have made a slew of moves recently. The team signed outfielder Michael Conforto on a one-year, $17 million deal. The Dodgers also brought back Blake Treinen on a two-year, $22 million contract. Both deals transpired of the eve of the Winter Meetings, the same day Soto signed his landmark deal with the New York Mets.

While the Dodgers have already bolstered their roster, fans are anxious to know if the organization will re-sign fan favorites like Buehler and Teoscar Hernández. The Dodgers chose not to extend a qualifying offer to Buehler, because the arrangement likely would've hurt the right-hander's value on the market.

There is speculation that the signing of free agent pitcher Blake Snell indicates there is no longer room for Buehler, according to MLB insider Bob Nightengale.

"So, I think some teams will jump on Buehler and give him a nice back-loaded one-year contract, with a player option for a second year," Nightengale said. "He was great in the postseason — or solid, I should say. Great in the back end. He came out in the ninth inning of Game 5, particularly, being a free agent coming off the surgery and everything else. Great team player. But I would doubt it now. It’s like, where does he actually fit? You already have seven, eight starters. Particularly, like you said, if you get the young pitcher, Roki Sasaki, from Japan — there’s really no room for him or Flaherty.”

In the coming weeks, the Buehler sweepstakes will unfold, but his fate in free agency remains uncertain.