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ANAHEIM - Time is not on the side of Walker Buehler or the Red Sox, and they both know that.
There is a reality to this situation that both parties understand. For the pitcher, continuing down this road of ineffectiveness, which presented itself once again Monday night, this time in the form of a four-inning, five-run, seven-walk start against the Angels, isn't an option.
The team? It just flat-out needs to win. Monday night, that didn't happen ... for a third straight game.
While the previous two games were lowlighted by subpar defense, the focus on this one was on Buehler and his uncomfortable existence. In a nutshell, his chances are running out. The veteran, who aced his accountability test after what would be a Red Sox 9-5 loss to the Angels, understands that.
"I think you have to," said Buehler when asked about worries that his spot in the rotation might be in jeopardy. "At some point, there are 26 guys who will help this team hopefully make the playoffs. If you’re not one of them, I don’t think it matters what you have done in years past, to be honest. Obviously, I’m a guy who is open to doing whatever needs to be done. I’m a starting pitcher and I have been a starting pitcher my whole life. I don’t necessarily that changing that will somehow magically fix everything. But I would certainly like to figure it out and go throw five, six, seven, eight, nine innings and help this team win."
For Buehler, the chase to find some consistency since coming off the injured list has primarily led to dead ends. In seven starts since coming back, he has totaled an 8.59 ERA with an OPS against of .987.
And while there might be some who simply point at this being a carry-over from last year's struggles, considering his overall stuff compared to the majority of 2024, it appears to be not so simple.
That's why questions about Buehler's health was raised immediately after this latest start, which saw the starter surrender five runs in the first inning immediately after the Red Sox jumped out to a three-run lead.
When asked if he Buehler was physically fine, Red Sox manager Alex Cora responded, "One hundred percent."
Pitching coach Andrew Bailey on the subject? "I’m not aware of any physical limitations," he said. "The player is reporting good to us. Again, the command and any time you walk seven, it’s a tough outing. Just off. The last time in Seattle and this time here, just a little bit glove side. Getting back to attack mode and getting Strike One is really important. Simplicity in the arsenal for him is really important as well. Just stay consistent between outings here."
But then there was Buehler.
"I don't want to talk about that," he said when asked if any of his issues were product of physical ailments. Asked again, the pitcher's response, "No more than usual."
All of it only adds to the intrigue and uneasiness.
"Yeah," Bailey said when asked if he was dumbfounded by Buehler's ineffectiveness of late, which has resulted in the Sox winning just two of his last seven starts. "He’s a special talent. He has had a long history in this game and battled through a number of injuries. To have the ball coming out as good as it is, feeling as good as he is, it’s frustrating, for sure. Not only for him but for us. We know we need him to be at his best to be where we want to be. It will turn for him."
The pitcher seems to also share his coach's confusion.
"I just think in all honesty, it’s a lot easier to stay good than it is to get good," Buehler lamented. "The guys on the other side of the field from me drive nice cars and get paid a lot of money to be really good at what they do. Outside a couple of swings, I think largely I beat myself, which is not something you can do here. I think it’s in there. I think my arm still moves good. I think I can still make the ball move. I think I can still pitch in the major league. At some point the belief it gets hard to keep tricking yourself. At some point, I have to put some results out there, for myself first but also for the organization. The talent that we have and the pitching depth that we have with guys coming back, I’m not naive to that kind of stuff. It’s just difficult."
For the Red Sox, there will ultimately be other options if Buehler doesn't turn things around. Tanner Houck is in the midst of a rehab assignment, and newly-acquired Kyle Harrison seems primed to jump into the rotation at some point over the next few weeks.
The problem for the Red Sox is that there is little time for experimentation. They have to figure out who they are and what they need, particularly during this stretch when offensive reinforcements (Alex Bregman, Masa Yoshida, Kristian Campbell) aren't quite ready.
There are other avenues if Buehler doesn't figure it out. But there is also an understanding why a good version of the starter can be such a difference-maker. He was always a big part of a blueprint the Red Sox find themselves desperately still trying to adhere to.
"I think everything is fixable in some way," he said. "I think the ball is coming out of my hand at times really well. At times, I just kind of lose all sight of what the ball is doing. It’s just tough. I think this organization and our team has given me every opportunity to try and contribute and help. Every thought and every pitch mix, pitch design, pitch execution, drill, throwing, the training staff … Everybody has done everything they can except for me at some point. Three scoreless after giving up five I don’t think necessitates a whole lot of help. Kind of revisit some things in the delivery and see if I can get my hand in a more consistent place."