The Boston Red Sox are moving right-hander Walker Buehler to the bullpen, manager Alex Cora said Friday ahead of Boston’s game against the New York Yankees. The club did not announce who will take his spot in the rotation, and Buehler’s next start is scheduled for Monday, giving the team a few days to decide. Left-hander Kyle Harrison, who came to Boston in the Rafael Devers trade, would be available on five days’ rest and would be making his Boston debut if he is chosen to start.
Buehler, 31, joined the Red Sox on a one-year contract worth $21 million with a mutual option for 2026. Through 22 starts this season, he owns a 5.40 ERA (76 ERA+) and a 1.52 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Baseball Reference currently views his performance as below replacement, even though he had a recent stretch where he posted a 3.77 ERA over his last eight starts — a run that came with nearly as many walks as strikeouts.
He had made adjustments during the season, including dropping his arm angle and altering his pitch mix, but those changes did not restore the form he showed as a premier pitcher in the past. From 2017-2022, Buehler was among the sport’s top starters: in 115 appearances (106 starts) he logged a 136 ERA+ and 4.26 strikeouts per walk, totaling 13.5 Wins Above Replacement.
The Red Sox entered Friday at 69-59, a half game behind the Yankees for the top wild card spot and five games back in the AL East.
Why this move matters and what it could mean:
– It signals Boston’s willingness to rework its pitching structure to chase a postseason berth, prioritizing bullpen depth and workload management as the season’s late stretch begins.
– Harrison’s potential Boston debut adds a young, left-handed option who could help the rotation while providing a glimpse of the club’s long-term pitching plans.
– For Buehler, the shift to the bullpen may extend his usefulness down the stretch, while the team evaluates how best to deploy him in high-leverage or shorter stints.
Summary: Boston retools its pitching staff by moving Buehler to the bullpen, keeping Monday’s rotation spot open while evaluating Harrison for a possible debut. The move comes as the team presses toward a postseason push with a tight race in both the wild card and the AL East. If the changes pay off, Boston could gain critical bullpen depth and a chance to optimize its rotation down the stretch.