Red Sox Facing Walker Buehler Decision After Padres Game

Red Sox Facing Walker Buehler Decision After Padres Game originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Boston Red Sox have been on a tear recently with the AL East up for grabs, and after winning eight of their last ten games, they find themselves just three games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the division.

After a disappointing first half in his first year with Boston, two-time All-Star Walker Buehler has started the second half strong, posting a 2.86 ERA with 12 strikeouts in four appearances to help fuel the team’s late-season push.

The 31-year-old right-hander arrived in Boston this offseason after eight seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, signing a one-year, $21.05 million contract for the 2025 season.

Walker Buehler Shines With Scoreless Outing

Buehler’s first half was atrocious, pitching to a 6–6 record with a 6.12 ERA and just 63 strikeouts in 16 starts.

However, he has seemingly found his old self again—most recently on Friday against the San Diego Padres, when he pitched six innings with four strikeouts and zero earned runs allowed against one of the best lineups in baseball.

Buehler's night through 6. 👊 pic.twitter.com/L9qjWdpR9D

— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 9, 2025

Red Sox Monitoring Buehler’s Role as Postseason Nears

Buehler’s recent turnaround has the Red Sox faced with a decision. With Cooper Criswell and Kyle Harrison available as options in the starting rotation, the team must consider not only how much trust they have in Buehler to sustain his current form, but also whether that level of performance is enough to keep him in the rotation and avoid a shift to the bullpen.

If Buehler continues to make starts this season, it will cost Boston. He can earn up to $2.5 million more in bonuses based on starts, receiving $500k for every two starts beginning at his 20th and up to his 28th. On Friday, he made his 20th start of the season, meaning he can still make eight more starts and earn $2 million more.

As playoff baseball approaches, Boston will have their focus on returning to the postseason—but Buehler’s role on the team will be something to monitor.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 9, 2025, where it first appeared.