Dodgers $10 Million World Series Hero Linked To Royals As Possible 'Landing Spot'

Could K.C. pull off an offseason stunner?

Oct 30, 2024; New York, USA, LAD; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler (21) celebrates after the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in game four to win the 2024 MLB World Series at New York. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-MLB / Wendell Cruz-MLB

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City Royals may both wear blue, but that's where most of the similarities end.

After their riveting comeback from a 5-0 deficit against the New York Yankees, the Dodgers clinched their second World Series this decade on Wednesday night. And the Royals, who exited October two weeks earlier, could do nothing but watch from their living rooms.

Kansas City is on an upward trajectory, having won 30 more games in the 2024 regular season than they did the year before. There's still a big gap between the Royals and a true championship contender like the Dodgers, though, and one has to wonder if Kansas City is considering pilfering any of L.A.'s championship players.

One name who comes to mind for the Royals is World Series hero Walker Buehler, who picked up the win in Game 3 of the Fall Classic and the dramatic save in the clincher two days later. Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller named the Royals an "honorable mention" for Buehler in the upcoming free-agent sweepstakes.

"If Michael Wacha declines his $16M player option for next season, perhaps the Royals pivot and offer that money to Buehler," Miller said. "Or maybe not, because their rotation is already in good shape with Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans and Brady Singer all returning for at least one more year."

Buehler, 30, would have been much cheaper for teams like the Royals based solely on the regular season. With a 5.38 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in 14 starts, Buehler looked like a diminished version of his old self, struggling to find his velocity and dealing with uncharacteristic command issues.

After putting the stamp on the Dodgers' World Series run, however, Buehler could have priced himself out of a few teams' budgets. Though he might still sign just a one-year deal, his postseason heroics certainly upped the price by at least a couple million dollars.

If the Royals are feeling audacious, they could certainly still get involved in the Buehler sweepstakes. But they may be best served allocating their resources toward fixing the offense first and foremost.

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