The Boston Red Sox have signed starting pitcher Walker Buehler of Lexington, Kentucky to a one-year contract worth $21.05 million according to Ryan Finkelstein of Just Baseball on Tuesday. The amount of money in the contract is somewhat surprising when you consider the fact that Buehler had a poor 2024 Major League Baseball regular season. The Red Sox are hoping Buehler returns to the form where he was a National League All-Star in 2019 and 2021, and guided the Dodgers to World Series titles in 2020 and 2024. Buehler had pitched with the Dodgers since 2017.
Poor 2024 MLB season
Buehler had the second worst regular season of his career in 2024 as he had a poor earned run average of 5.38, and only won once in seven decisions. During 16 games and 75 1/3 innings pitched, he gave up 89 hits, 45 earned runs, 28 walks, and 16 home runs to go along with 64 strikeouts and a poor WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 1.55.
All-Star Seasons
In 2019, Buehler sparkled with a record of 14 wins and four losses with an earned run average of 3.26. He threw a National League leading two complete games in 30 games and 182 1/3 innings pitched. Buehler gave up 153 hits, 66 earned runs, 20 home runs and 37 walks to go along with 215 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.04. He also led the senior circuit with a .778 winning percentage.
In 2021, Buehler had an even better record than in 2019 at 16 wins and four losses with an earned run average of 2.47. In 207 2/3 innings pitched, he gave up 149 hits, 57 earned runs, 19 home runs and 52 walks to go along with 212 strikeouts and a marvelous WHIP of 0.97.
Tommy John Surgeries
Buehler has been out with Tommy John Surgery not once, but twice in his career. The first time came in 2015 shortly after he was drafted in the first round of the MLB Draft. The second time came in 2022, which forced him to miss the entire 2023 MLB season. Buehler returned to the Dodgers in May of 2024.
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