Dustin Pedroia is talking Hall of Fame
The Red Sox have found their other potential top-of-the-rotation starter.
According to a major league source, the Sox have agreed to terms with Walker Buehler on a one-year, $21.05 million deal. The contract - which was first reported by Yahoo! Sports' Russell Dorsey - is pending a physical.
The last image we witnessed of Buehler was a powerful one, with the then-Dodgers pitcher coming out of nowhere for the ninth inning of Game 5 in the World Series to strikeout Alex Verdugo for the season's final out.
It was an example of how the 30-year-old can be.
This is a pitcher who went 16-4 with a 2.47 ERA in 33 starts in 2021, finishing fourth in National League Cy Young voting. And even after a lackluster 2024 campaign - in which he totaled a 5.38 ERA in 16 starts after coming off Tommy John surgery - Buehler displayed dominance when it counted the most. In his last two postseason starts, the righty turned in back-to-back scoreless outings, first against the Mets and then vs. the Yankees.
But, again, there was the reality of last season, which is why Buehler's deal is or just one year.
All things considered, it seems like a good fit for the Red Sox.
If Buehler is able to continue the momentum of those final few appearanes in 2024, the Red Sox have secured a much-needed "been-there, done-that" piece of the starting rotation, one who seems has regained his health after undergoing TJ surgery at the end of the 2022 season.
He joins a starting pitching group that now consists of Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito.
Another perk for the Sox is if Buehler does perform near his pre-Tommy John levels they will be in position to offer him a qualifying offer at season's end.
Even with the acquisitions of Crochet and Buehler, the Red Sox' offseason to-do list isn't complete. They are still in need of a right-handed bat, with Teoscar Hernandez remaining on their radar. Alex Bregman also continues to be a target, with Detroit seemingly representing the club most aggressively trying to sign the infielder.