Dodgers $8 Million World Series Hero Should Have Red Sox As Top Choice

The Boston Red Sox have developed into a team that can get pitchers back on track.

Oct 28, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler (21) throws during the first inning in game three of the 2024 MLB World Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Boston added Andrew Bailey as the team's pitching coach and his presence had an immediate impact. The Red Sox entered the 2024 season with pretty much the same rotation as in 2023. Boston added Lucas Giolito, but he missed the entire 2024 campaign.

The Red Sox finished the 2023 campaign with the 22nd-ranked starter ERA at 4.68 and followed it up with the seventh-ranked starter ERA in 2024 at 3.81. Boston took a huge step forward despite Giolito missing the year and Garrett Whitlock missing most of the year.

Boston has been a good place for rehabbing pitchers to come to town. In recent years, the Red Sox brought James Paxton, Liam Hendriks, and Michael Fulmer into the mix while rehabbing. Boston also reportedly signed Patrick Sandoval on Friday.

Clearly, the Red Sox have a good medical team and Boston is good at getting pitchers back on track. Because of this, Boston should be two-time All-Star Walker Buehler's top choice in free agency. He's just 30 years old with all of the talent in the world, but the last three seasons have been impacted by injuries. He made just 12 starts in 2022, zero starts in 2023, and 16 starts in 2024.

Buehler impressed in the postseason, but he's likely going to land a short-term deal this offseason after making roughly $8 million in 2024. Before the injuries completely slowed him down, he had a 2.90 ERA from 2017 through 2021 across 103 games -- including 94 starts while logging two All-Star appearances.

If there was a team that could get him back on track, it would be Boston. Bailey already has shown that he can get the most out of his starters. Boston's medical team also seems to be great.

Right now, the Red Sox's starting rotation looks like it will be Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, and Giolito heading into the campaign. Boston should get Sandoval back at some point but he is recovering from Tommy John surgery.

The Boston Globe's Alex Speier said that Boston still is open to adding more pitching. Buehler should be the guy if the Red Sox aren't going to hand out a massive deal to someone like Corbin Burnes.