Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
Walker Buehler played an integral role in the Dodger full-season world championship since 1988. He even retired the last three batters to seal the championship. Now, Buehler enters his first free agency, and the Dodgers didn’t give him a qualifying offer.
Before the NLCS against the New York Mets, Buehler was an awful starter. After his second Tommy John surgery, he needed to re-learn how to pitch. He had a new body. He learned he couldn’t rely on his fastball.
During the 2024 regular season, Buehler made 16 starts, with one win and six losses, a 5.38 ERA, and 64 strikeouts. This pitcher doesn’t deserve a qualifying offer.
In his start in the NLDS against the San Diego Padres, Buehler was victimized by bad defense. However, Buehler lasted five innings, saving the Dodger bullpen for Game 4.
He was brilliant for four innings in the NLCS against the New York Mets. Against the New York Yankees, he pitched five innings. If he hadn’t volunteered to close out Game 5 with a victory, the Dodgers would probably have gone to Game 6 in Los Angeles.
Because Walker Buehler is healthy and the Dodgers have many questions about their 2025 starting rotation, the Dodgers need to re-sign Buehler to an incentive-laden multi-year contract. In 2025 and 2026, Buehler’s right arm should be healthy, a rarity in this era in baseball.
