As the Atlanta Braves inch towards the end of 2024, they still have not made the big splash fans have hoped for in their rotation. Unfortunately, another option is now off the table, as 2024 World Series hero Walker Buehler went to the Boston Red Sox.
While Buehler struggled during the regular season, he showed the potential he had to regain his status as an elite starter in the the playoffs, where he had a 3.60 ERA in 15 innings.
Walker Buehler priced himself out of the Braves' reach
With the Braves front half of the rotation set, Atlanta came into the offseason needing a stronger fourth or fifth starter. Buehler would have been perfect to fill the role as a low-risk, high reward starting pitcher.
Before going down with Tommy John in 2022, Buehler was arguably one of the best starters in the game. From his first full season in 2018 to 2022, the Dodgers ace had a 2.83 ERA in 629 innings. His 15.4 fWAR was the 13th best in baseball in that span.
However, after Tommy John surgery, Buehler didn't return to the bigs until this past season. When he did, it was clear that the Dodgers weren't getting the 2021 All-Star who finished fourth in Cy Young voting. In his 75.1 regular season innings, Buehler got hammered, as he finished the season with a 5.38 ERA, 5.54 FIP, and a -1.3 bWAR.
The 30-year-old wasn't able to put his injuries behind him, either, as Buehler unfortunately spent nearly two months on the IL recovering from a hip injury this past summer.
In his first playoff start, it looked like Buehler's regular season was carrying over, as the Padres hammered him for six runs in five innings, but after this start, he didn't allow a single run. The righty had two scoreless starts in the NLCS and the World Series, and then got to finish out the World Series in Game 5 against the Yankees.
It was clear going into the offseason that a contract for Buehler would likely be a short-term deal, where the former first-rounder could show he was the same starter he was at his peak and earn a bigger contract in the offseason that followed.
MLB Trade Rumors projected that he would get a one-year deal worth $15 million, which would have been right in the Braves sweet spot. After all, they've paid Charlie Morton $20 million in each of the past two seasons where he's essentially been the de facto fourth starter.
Atlanta showed initial interest in Buehler according to Jon Morosi, however Boston gave the former Dodger a deal he simply couldn't refuse, giving him a one-year deal worth $21.05 million and incentives that could easily bump up his pay.
Given the contract, it's not surprising that Atlanta decided to pass on Buehler. However, the starting pitching market is really starting to dwindle down, and Buehler made have had the most potential of any starter left looking for a short term deal.