Walker Buehler, who once carved up lineups in October and helped pitch the Dodgers to a World Series, just got a reality check from the Boston Red Sox.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn’t dance around it Friday: Buehler’s moving to the bullpen. After 22 rocky starts and numbers that don’t exactly scream ace material—5.40 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 82 strikeouts in 110 innings—the Sox have decided it’s time for a reset.
“I talked to him last night, [Chief Baseball Officer] Craig Breslow did, too,” Cora told NESN. “That’s his new role. We’ll figure out how it goes. Maybe one inning, multiple innings. Whatever it is, we don’t know yet… Hopefully, he can reset, go out there, find the strike zone, simplify the attack, and help us win ball games.”
Cora added that Buehler took the news “professionally,” and stressed that he still believes in the 31-year-old righty.
From Ace to Adjustment
Boston gave Buehler a one-year, $21.1 million deal this past winter, betting on his pedigree and hoping he’d look like the guy who dominated with the Dodgers from 2018 through 2021. Back then, he was untouchable—2.82 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, two All-Star nods, and a reputation as a big-game pitcher. And who could forget 2020, when he posted a 1.80 ERA in the postseason on the way to a championship?
But injuries have stolen much of his prime. An elbow issue wiped out nearly two full seasons (2022–23), and while he returned to help L.A. win again in 2024, his 2025 Red Sox chapter has been a struggle from the start.
Boston’s Rotation Picture
The frustrating part for Boston is that the rest of the rotation hasn’t been half bad. Garrett Crochet has been lights-out (2.43 ERA, 196 Ks), while Brayan Bello (3.23 ERA) and Lucas Giolito (3.72 ERA) have been steady. Put simply, Buehler’s been the weak link, and with the Red Sox fighting for a playoff position, Cora couldn’t wait any longer.
Boston entered Friday at 69-59, holding the second AL wild-card spot and sitting just a half-game behind the Yankees for the top slot. And wouldn’t you know it? They’re facing those Yankees right now in a four-game Bronx showdown.
For Buehler, this is about salvaging the season and proving he can still be a weapon. Maybe he thrives in shorter bursts, maybe he pitches his way back into a starting role later, or maybe this becomes his new reality. Either way, his days of being an untouchable postseason ace feel a long way off.
