Walker Buehler is headed back to the West Coast.
Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Walker Buehler, who spent part of 2025 with the Sox, has signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres.
It's a return to the West Coast for Buehler, who starred for most of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
About Buehler
The 31-year-old Buehler is an eight-year veteran of the Dodgers, Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies, where he spent the end of last season.
Buehler is a two-time All-Star and a two-time World Series champion. He went 7-7 for the Red Sox in 2025, pitching to a 5.45 ERA before being designated for assignment.
He latched on with the Phillies at the end of the year, going 3-0 in three appearances and registering a 0.66 ERA. He is still a free agent at the moment.
Though he struggled in Boston, it's unfathomable to think of him signing a minor league deal. He has two top-ten Cy Young finishes on his resume.
Unfortunately, injuries have gotten the best of Buehler over the last few years. He had Tommy John surgery in 2022 and missed all of 2023 as a result. He came back in 2024, but struggled to a 5.38 ERA in just 16 appearances. He did close out the World Series for the Dodgers that year against the Yankees and earned himself the one-year pact from Boston.
Buehler's impact on Boston
While Buehler didn't pitch particularly great with the Red Sox, the organization does seem to have had an impact on him. New Sox pitcher Ranger Suarez recently said that Buehler spoke to him about how good the organization was. The two clearly developed a relationship while Buehler played with the Phillies.
About the current Sox pitching staff
The Red Sox have one of the most high-upside staffs in the American League with Suarez and Cy Young runner-up Garrett Crochet at the top. They also have Sonny Gray and Brayan Bello. The fifth spot is up for grabs with Johan Oviedo, Kutter Crawford, Payton Tolle and Connelly Early battling for it.
Other Sox news and notes
--Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is officially headed to the World Baseball Classic. He'll be the sixth Sox outfielder to depart the team in spring training, joining Masataka Yoshida, Jarren Duran, Nate Eaton, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu.
--Romy Gonzalez, battling for a reserve infield spot, is sidelined with an injury. Here's what we know from manager Alex Cora.
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