On Friday, August 29, 2025, the Boston Red Sox released right-hander Walker Buehler, making him available for any team — including the San Francisco Giants, who were reportedly interested in him last offseason before he joined Boston.
From 2019 through 2021, Buehler was among the game’s elite pitchers when healthy. He earned National League All-Star selections in 2019 and 2021, with his standout campaign coming in 2021: 33 starts for the rival Dodgers, a 16–4 record, a 2.47 ERA, and a fourth-place finish in NL Cy Young Award voting.
The past two years have been a different story. Buehler struggled to a 5.38 ERA with Los Angeles in 2024 and followed it up with a 5.45 ERA in 2025 with Boston. Still, he did deliver one signature moment — recording the final out of the 2024 World Series for the Dodgers.
Is Buehler A Fit For The Giants?
The Giants initially considered Walker Buehler when their rotation picture beyond aces Logan Webb and Robbie Ray was still uncertain.
Since then, Landen Roupp has emerged, and Justin Verlander—though somewhat unlucky—has provided solid innings as a free-agent pickup.
Even so, Buehler might still fill a need. With Roupp likely done for the year, San Francisco is down to just four healthy starters: Webb, Ray, Verlander, and Carson Whisenhunt. At this point, the team hasn’t even announced a starter for Saturday’s matchup against the Orioles.
Depth is also an issue. Their next-best pitching prospect, Blade Tidwell, is sidelined, and both Kai-Wei Teng and Hayden Birdsong have struggled.
That makes Buehler, now 31, an intriguing option—not just for 2025 but potentially for the seasons ahead.
In the best-case scenario, Buehler rediscovers his old form and gives the Giants a third ace still in his prime. Worst case, he struggles through a few outings and the team moves on after the season—no worse off than where they stand now with their fifth-starter spot.
Given his recent struggles, Buehler likely won’t cost much, especially on a short-term deal. For San Francisco, taking a low-risk chance on him seems like a worthwhile gamble.
The Rivalry Implications
If Walker Buehler were to join San Francisco and thrive in a Giants uniform, the satisfaction for Giants fans would be even greater knowing it would irritate Dodgers fans.
During the 2010s, the Dodgers had a reputation for poaching notable Giants players—Juan Uribe, Brian Wilson, Sergio Romo, and others—rubbing salt in the wound for San Francisco supporters.
In contrast, the Giants haven’t really returned the favor. Earlier this season, they signed longtime Dodger Austin Barnes to a minor league deal, a move many thought could pay off. But Barnes was released before ever reaching the big-league roster.
Bringing in Buehler—a true Dodgers star—would be something entirely different. Beyond his potential impact on the field, the psychological boost of taking a beloved Dodger could be invaluable in the rivalry.
So, Giants fans: should San Francisco take a chance on Walker Buehler?
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