Red Sox Predicted To Land Dodgers $32 Million All-Star To Pair With Garrett Crochet

Room for one more starter?

Oct 28, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler (21) pitches during the fifth inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox can breathe a miniature sigh of relief after the Garrett Crochet trade. But now is not the time to rest on their laurels.

After landing Crochet in a five-player swap with the Chicago White Sox, the Red Sox have their projected ace of the staff. With Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito, and Kutter Crawford behind him, they have enough quality starters for a solid rotation on paper.

However, Major League Baseball isn't played on paper, and making it through a season with the same five projected starters you open the year with is extremely rare nowadays. The Red Sox have some flexibility with Crawford, and that should allow them to go out and grab one more starter.

As starters go, it's never a bad idea to add someone with two World Series rings on his pitching hand.

In a recent Red Sox Opening Day roster projection, Tim Crowley of NESN predicted that Boston would land former Los Angeles Dodgers two-time All-Star Walker Buehler in free agency. Buehler is projected for a two-year, $32 million contract by The Athletic.

"Boston has its horse to lead the rotation after the move to get Crochet," Crowley said. "The Red Sox have... spot start options in Richard Fitts, Quinn Priester, Hunter Dobbins and Cooper Criswell. Kutter Crawford can join that group if Boston can (and should) add one more impact starter."

"Among the second-tier free agent options on the board, Buehler still gets hitters out and would bring championship pedigree to the clubhouse."

Buehler, 30, looked like he'd be hitting free agency at the worst possible time, after a disastrous regular season that saw him post a 5.38 ERA in his return from a 1 1/2-year absence. But in the playoffs, he was nails, finishing the year on a 10-inning scoreless streak that included the final out of the Fall Classic.

Buehler has been great throughout his career in the regular season, but it's the postseason where he really thrives. He's posted a 3.04 ERA in 94 career playoff innings, and a ridiculous 0.47 ERA in 19 innings in the World Series.

The World Series is precisely where the Red Sox wish to go, and ideally, Buehler could help them get there. But they've got to figure out what he believes he's worth right now and compare it to realistic projections from what they saw on the field last season--both the good and the bad.

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