Guardians Urged to Pursue Dodgers' Pitcher in Free Agency

The Cleveland Guardians are being urged to pursue an intriguing Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher in free agency.

Oct 28, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler (21) throws during the first inning in game three of the 2024 MLB World Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Heading into the MLB offseason, the Cleveland Guardians know that they are a move or two away from a potential championship.

They made it all the way to the ALCS this season, where they unfortunately couldn't get past the New York Yankees. Despite the heartbreaking end to the season, the Guardians have a chance to get aggressive and make a strong push towards a World Series appearance in 2025.

One area of improvement that Cleveland will need to focus on is their starting pitching rotation.

First and foremost, the Guardians will need to find a way to re-sign Shane Bieber in free agency. Losing him would be a tough blow. When he's healthy, he would be a clear-cut No. 1 pither in the Cleveland rotation.

After bringing back Bieber, the Guardians should pursue a better No. 2 option behind him.

James Mastrucci of Away Back Gone has suggested on potential option for Cleveland. He thinks the team should consider pursuing Los Angeles Dodgers' starting pitcher Walker Buehler.

"Buehler has hit a few bumps over the past few years after being one of the game's best pitchers from 2018-2021. A down year in 2022, followed by a missed season due to Tommy John and then another down year in 2023, has resulted in Buehler being someone who may need to take a one-year prove-it deal to reestablish his value. This is exactly the type of pitcher the Guardians have targeted previously, including multiple times last season. Going down this same road again would not be surprising in the least bit, considering the way the Guardians prefer to operate."

Buehler is coming off of a 2024 season that saw him make 16 starts. He went 1-6 to go along with a 5.38 ERA, a 1.55 WHIP, a 2.3 K/BB ratio, and 75.1 innings pitched in those appearances.

At 30 years old, Buehler would absolutely be worth taking a flier on. He may not end up working out, but he could very well fit into the Guardians' budget.

Cleveland should also look into finding more offensive firepower. Their run production disappeared far too often during the 2024 campaign. Adding a starting pitcher and a big bat would be a perfect offseason for the Guardians.

All of that being said, it will be interesting to see what Cleveland ends up doing this offseason. Buehler may not end up being a target, but he sure would make sense if the price tag is right.