The relationship between the Boston Red Sox and 2024 World Series winner Walker Buehler has come to an end as the Red Sox have released Buehler ahead of their weekend series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Boston had signed the veteran right-hander to a one-year, $21.05 million free agent contract just last December.
This move comes one week after Red Sox manager Alex Cora announced that Buehler would move his services from the starting rotation down to the bullpen. Buehler did not seem to find his footing as a starter for Boston, going 7-7 in 22 starts this year, posting a 5.45 ERA across 112.1 innings pitched.
Buehler missed the entire 2023 season due to undergoing Tommy John surgery and was coming off a 2024 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers that showcased him having a stellar postseason run on the mound en route to winning his second World Series title.
The Red Sox took a chance on the 31-year-old veteran, hoping that he could translate a good postseason run to the 2025 regular season, but things did not shape out that way, as he allowed nine earned runs in 9 1/3 innings during his first two starts for Boston. Eventually, Boston would place Buehler on the injured list with right shoulder bursitis.
Buehler came back from the IL and started to show initial signs of adjustment on the mound, but quickly fell off the wagon again, which, in turn, forced Boston to make the tough decision of demoting Buehler from a starting spot down to the bullpen.
Regarding his adjustment to the new role, Buehler mentioned that he sought advice from former starters turned relievers like David Price to help with the transition. However, Boston made other arrangements before the baseball world could see what Buehler could do as a reliever.
