Should Dodgers Re-Sign Walker Buehler for 2025?

The final pitch of the 2024 season was a breaking ball thrown by Walker Buehler to strike out former Dodger and Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo, winning the World Series for the Dodgers. It also could have been Buehler’s final pitch and appearance in Dodger Blue as the free agent entertains offers from other teams.

ESPN’s Buster Olney shares on X that Buehler’s reps are looking for a multi-year deal with opt-outs. He’s receiving interest from the Red Sox, Tigers and Giants among other teams.

Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman recently said that he’ll never say again that he feels good about the Dodgers’ pitching depth, and that his new answer is always that he feels terrible about the depth.

While that was said about the team’s pursuit of Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, it could also mean that the team finds a creative way to bring Buehler back, especially after giving him a World Series moment he’ll never forget.

After all, Buehler, 29, is coming off a season where his numbers weren’t as glorious as shown in the playoffs. He missed close to two months with a right hip injury.

Prior to the injury, in eight starts he went 4-4 with a 5.84 ERA, 6.06 FIP and a 1.514 WHIP with 31 Ks and 10 BBs in 37 IP.

His return was better, but not by a whole lot. He threw eight more starts, going 5-3 with a 4.93 ERA, 5.05 FIP and a 1.601 WHIP with 33 Ks and 18 BBs in 38.1 IP.

Buehler had that disastrous six-run second inning in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Padres, allowing six runs. He lasted five innings, allowing six runs on seven hits with no strikeouts and a walk.

If not for the pitching shortage the Dodgers were facing, it’s possible the team may not have included him in the NLCS or World Series.

But then things changed.

Buehler made two starts and one unforgettable relief appearance, going 1-0 with a save, allowing no runs (he now owns a shutout streak of 13 consecutive innings) on five hits, a 0.00 ERA, 2.07 FIP, 0.900 WHIP, 13 strikeouts and four walks.

He’s a gamer. But will that get earn him a multi-year deal rather than an incentive-laden “prove it” deal for one season where he can prove to baseball that he’s back? He did miss nearly two seasons with Tommy John surgery, after all.

To Friedman’s point, enough may not be enough when referring to the pitching depth on the Dodgers. The team signed Blake Snell to anchor its staff, and is expected to do so alongside Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin and Bobby Miller. It’s possible the team signs Sasaki and adds him to the mix. Clayton Kershaw is still a name to think about, too, who has openly said he sees himself returning to the Dodgers in 2025.

The Dodgers will find a way to ensure Buehler fits into their 2025 plans, if they want to.

Your Turn: Why should the Dodgers bring Walker Buehler back to their rotation? How many years would you sign him to? Tell us below in the comments!