Walker Buehler’s inconsistencies are generating more questions than answers for the Boston Red Sox. They brought him in to be a cornerstone in the starting rotation and instead, he’s been disappointing. Like Friday night, he was electric, tossing six, shutout innings and striking out four batters in the process. I guess all it took was a familiar rival to bring out the best side of Buehler.
But the Red Sox aren’t always playing the San Diego Padres so he can’t just rely on that as motivation. After seeing another strong outing from Buehler, though, how exactly should the Red Sox handle Buehler. He has a mutual option for 2026 with a $3 million buyout, which doesn't make the Red Sox decision any easier.
It would be easier if Buehler was just bad this year, then they’d have no reason to bring him back, even if they are having a strong end to the season. But sometimes he’s good and sometimes he’s not, so how do you go about handling that?
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Walker Buehler’s odd season with the Boston Red Sox makes front office decision a lot harder this offseason
What makes Buehler’s season so interesting is that it’s almost like he’s taunting the Red Sox. He’s doing just enough to make the Red Sox consider bringing him back. But if you go strictly off what he’s done this season, the Red Sox could do so much better. That’s why the Dodgers had no problem letting him walk after helping them win the World Series.
This season, Buehler’s been hovering around a .500 record with an inflated 5.40 ERA, which is on pace to be the highest of his career since his first full MLB season. He has 75 strikeouts, but looks like he might fall just short of 100, which he hasn’t eclipsed since 2021.
Injuries have hampered Buehler over the last few seasons, which is partly why he’s looked just a fraction of what he used to. The Red Sox should cut ties with Buehler and really shouldn’t feel bad about it. Even if he does look good in the postseason, which he typically does, they shouldn’t let that sway their decision.
The roller coaster season he’s had isn’t worth revisiting for another year. This team had way too much drama in 2025; they should leave it there. It’s not an easy decision though because games like Friday show glimpses of why the Red Sox believed him this winter.
Boston could very well talk themselves into keeping Buehler, but it’s not worth it in the long run. They shouldn’t let the few good games he’s had affect their decision. He’s too inconsistent to rely on for another year.