Red Sox Could Sign All-Star Hurler On 'Pillow' Contract To Solve Pitching Woes

Any additions would be welcome to help this staff in 2025...

Sep 20, 2019; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A detail view of Boston Red Sox hats and gloves at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Red Sox are having the same pitching problem, year after year.

Heading into every season so far in the current decade, the Red Sox have entered play with a starting rotation that looks thin on paper. And every season, that rotation begins to crumble after the All-Star break, as pitchers who aren't used to massive workloads inevitably tire out.

That was always going to be the case in 2024, especially after free-agent signee Lucas Giolito went down for the season back in Spring Training. And after a surprisingly excellent first half, every member of the Boston rotation has seen their ERA skyrocket in August.

Boston has to address the rotation in a meaningful way in the winter. And one solution, though it may not be the preferred avenue of fans hoping the team adds a big-money superstar, could be taking a chance on a former All-Star looking for a career revival.

The Los Angeles Dodgers' Walker Buehler, who was a two-time All-Star early in his big-league career, is set to hit free agency after a disappointing 2024 campaign. ESPN insider Jeff Passan believes Buehler will seek a short-term contract to reset his career, which could hugely benefit the Red Sox.

"Buehler needed a second Tommy John surgery, and his fastball, for so long his biggest asset, hasn't returned to form since he came back in May," Passan said. "A one-year deal makes plenty of sense to find the version of himself who carved lineups and then hit free agency again to cash in after the 2025 season."

Buehler, 30, once looked like a lock to become one of baseball's highest-paid pitchers someday. He has a 47-20 career record, with a 3.22 ERA, and has had some memorable postseason appearances, including a seven-inning scoreless outing against the Red Sox in the 2018 World Series.

However, Buehler missed all of 2023 due to the aforementioned Tommy John surgery, and hasn't looked like himself since coming back. His 2024 season has been ugly through 10 starts, including a 6.09 ERA, .923 opposing OPS, and 3.5 walks per nine innings.

Bringing in Buehler on a one-year deal might not be all it takes to get the Red Sox rotation where it needs to be to compete for championships. But it has the potential to pay off in a major way. If Boston isn't going to break the bank this winter, they at least need to shoot for this type of high upside.

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