Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images
*PREDICTION*
As the MLB offseason continues on, there are multiple quality names still left on the open market. Multiple teams across baseball have already made some big moves, and we could see one of the more action-filled offseasons in recent memory.
Veteran right-hander Walker Buehler is one of the more intriguing players left on the free agent market, especially considering the overall upside that he has. Buehler spent time between the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies this last season, but his time in Boston was one to forget.
Buehler was eventually cut from the Red Sox, but not before he made 23 appearances for Boston. The veteran put up an ERA of 5.45 over 112.1 innings of work for the team.
But once he got to the Phillies, Buehler showed teams what he could be in the league still, posting an ERA of 0.66 over 13.2 innings. Interested teams in Buehler will likely have to do some cost-benefit evaluations of the right-hander, especially given how bad his stint with Boston was.
However, Buehler has been extremely reliable over the years, and he has proven to be very clutch whenever the postseason comes around. Buehler could be a perfect low-risk move for a team to help round out a rotation for the season.
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Walker Buehler Lands With Chicago White Sox
One team that could be interested in signing Buehler is the Chicago White Sox, giving them some extra depth for their starting rotation. Chicago has been one of the worst teams in baseball over the past few years, but this organization is now looking to start building more toward the future.
Adding someone like Buehler could give them a perfect “buy low” candidate for the rotation, while also allowing him to have a leading spot with a team. The White Sox just signed Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami in what was seen as a surprise move from the team, so it’s clear that Chicago wants to get better.
Addressing the starting rotation will be key this winter, and Buehler isn’t likely to cost them too much to sign. If anything, the White Sox could bring Buehler into the mix, and if he performs well for them in the first half of the year, the team could flip him for future assets at the trade deadline.
The biggest question for this pairing would be whether Buehler would be willing to entertain the idea of going to the White Sox after their multiple down years in a state of mediocrity. But he could be up for the challenge, and bringing this team back from the bottom of the standings could be appealing to the veteran right-hander.