The mid-tier starting pitching market still has some intriguing names on the board this offseason, and two of the more notable arms come from Boston’s 2025 rotation: Lucas Giolito and Walker Buehler.
Let’s start with Giolito. He’s the more sought-after of the two right now, and for good reason.
He’s recently been linked to the San Francisco Giants, a team that could use a reliable veteran presence in their rotation. Giolito’s mix of experience, strikeout ability, and flashes of frontline potential make him a logical fit for clubs looking to solidify the middle of their rotation without diving into the deep end of the free-agent pool.
Then there’s Buehler - a name that still carries weight, but one that’s become harder to bank on. His 2025 campaign with the Red Sox was a rollercoaster, and not the fun kind.
He finished the year in Boston with a 7-7 record and a 5.45 ERA before the team cut ties with him in August. It was a tough stretch, no doubt, but not the end of the story.
After being released, Buehler caught on with the Phillies and actually looked sharper in limited action. The stuff wasn’t gone - it just hadn’t been showing up consistently. That late-season uptick in performance was a reminder that the talent is still there, even if the results haven’t always matched.
But here’s the thing: Buehler’s recent struggles have made it clear that his reputation - boosted in large part by a strong 2024 postseason with the Dodgers - may have been leaning a bit too heavily on a small sample size. That playoff run was memorable, no question, but when you zoom out, the broader trend over the past few seasons has been one of inconsistency.
Still, Buehler’s track record can’t be dismissed. From 2017 to 2024 with the Dodgers, he put up a 57-29 record, a 3.52 ERA, and racked up 846 strikeouts in just under 840 innings.
He’s a two-time All-Star (2019, 2021) and has shown, at his best, the kind of command and competitiveness that teams covet. That kind of résumé doesn’t just vanish overnight.
So while some teams may be hesitant to make him a priority target this winter, it’s hard to imagine Buehler not getting another shot. He still checks a lot of boxes as a prime bounce-back candidate heading into 2026. If he can stay healthy and rediscover his rhythm, there’s real upside here - especially for a club willing to take the gamble on a short-term deal with the potential for high-end returns.
In a market where upside and affordability are often at odds, Buehler remains one of the more compelling wild cards still available.