5:07PM: The Phillies have announced the signing, with the added detail that Buehler has inked a minor league contract and will report to Triple-A.
4:45PM: The Phillies have signed right-hander Walker Buehler, The Athletic’s Matt Gelb reports. The deal will become official once Buehler (who is represented by Excel) passes a physical, and Buehler is eligible for inclusion on a playoff roster because he is joining the Phillies before September 1. Gelb reported Philadelphia’s interest in Buehler earlier today.
It was just two days ago that the Red Sox released Buehler, bringing an early end to their partnership after Buehler signed a one-year, $21.05MM free agent deal last winter. Roughly $3.4MM remains on that contract, but the Sox will remain responsible for most of that money, as the Phils will owe Buehler just the prorated portion of the MLB minimum salary.
The signing is a flier to see if Buehler can bounce back in Philadelphia after a rough year in Boston. Buehler has struggled to a 5.45 ERA, 16.5% strikeout rate, and 10.8% walk rate over 112 1/3 innings this season, and opposing batters have taken him yard 22 times. The numbers aren’t far removed from Buehler’s regular-season performance over 75 1/3 innings with the Dodgers in 2024, when Buehler was returning to action after missing the entire 2023 campaign due to Tommy John surgery.
That was the second TJ procedure of Buehler’s career, and given how shaky he has looked in the aftermath, it remains to be seen if the righty can ever return to his past All-Star form. However, Buehler showed some flashes of his old self during the Dodgers’ playoff run in 2024, throwing 10 shutout innings over his last three appearance to help Los Angeles capture the championship. Most notably, Buehler even picked up the save to close out the clinching Game Five.
As Gelb notes, the Phillies are probably viewing Buehler as a bullpen contributor again for the playoffs given how the team already has its postseason rotation set. While losing Zack Wheeler for the season blew a big hole into the Phils’ pitching plans, there’s still plenty of starting options available in Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola, and Taijuan Walker. The Phillies were considering a six-man rotation for September when Wheeler was still available, so Buehler could potentially make a start or two just to help ease the innings burden on the other starters, and then slide into a relief role in October.
With a healthy 6.5-game lead over the Mets in the NL East, the Phillies have some breathing room to use September as a bit of a laboratory to figure out their optimal playoff roster. If Buehler’s struggles continue, the Phils could just leave him off a postseason roster entirely, with no cost to the team apart from his minimal salary.
A bigger-picture look at Buehler’s free-agent future should wait until his 2025 season is actually over. Buehler is still just 31 and probably wants to keep trying to re-establish himself as a starter, so he’ll likely sign another one-year deal (worth far less than $21.05MM) with a team in need of rotation help. Should Buehler pitch well as a reliever in Philadelphia, however, it might add an interesting wrinkle to the situation, as exploring a full-time role change would add more interest to Buehler’s market.
I guess he’s worth a try in low leverage situations.
Good signing by the Phillies. Hopefully, he can pitch well. Thank you Red Sox.
You haven’t seen him yet
Actually I have seen him, he’s pitched great in big games. Winning game 163s, picking up the ball on short rest when a guy named Scherzer wouldn’t, winning playoff series oh and getting the last outs in a World Series. When the lights are brightest, Big game Buehler is at his best.
I always liked Buehler.
He isn’t the same guy after the second Tommy John
I would have liked to see him with with LA, but the Dodgers bullpen is about to get crowded.
Although Yates and Scott are trying their best not to be on the postseason roster…
Those things you talk about seem so long ago he was terrible for Boston
Yep, Buehler will always have a special place in the hearts of Dodgers fans. Even if his biggest and best moments are behind him — what could be bigger and better than throwing the last strike in the World Series?
Funny, but I will always remember his interview in the clubhouse during the series celebration. Like an hour in, he was asked about how that felt, and he said earlier in the season “I was sure I was going to be f——g cut.” You’re never going to see that video on Diamond Vision!
I wish him luck in making the active roster for the Phillies and if he does I really don’t want to see him in the postseason. Dodgers fans will tell you: never count him out.
Who said that’s who the Phillies are getting!!!
right but the phils put him in the minors. couldn’t LA have done the same?
I guess you are asking me. Sure the Dodgers could have signed him, if he fit into their plans. Who knows, maybe they tried?
this site posts replies everywhere and no i wasn’t directly asking you but it appears from what i’m reading that LA would have had the chance prior to the phils based on won/loss? if so that surprises me since he accepted a minor league contract and injuries can happen w a month left in the season. not to mention yates hasn’t exactly been impressive.
Yeah, the threading in this comment system stinks. FWIW, he was released by Boston so anybody could have signed him to a minors contract. I’d be shocked if he didn’t get multiple offers.
rather him than Heaney but there it is
He actually cleared waivers….If he was claimed the team that took him would have owed him his remaining salary of a little over $3m. Signing after he cleared waivers…they just owe the prorated portion of the league minimum with his original team on the hook for the rest.
Since he cleared, he was free to sign anywhere. Not sure if the Dodgers did or did not try to sign….but not surprised he selected a contender….which of course applies to the Dodgers as well.
And I’m less sure of this part….but I think the only way he was Post Season Eligible was because he did clear waivers. If he was claimed I don’t think he would have counted. They tweaked some rules around that recently to make it harder to add players late in the year.
You’re welcome. He’s awful. We are down like 5 starting pitchers and still didn’t want him anymore
lol
Ha, You are so very welcome.
AAA
how low can those go?
Probably going to the rotation. Good night, Romano.
We can only hope
I heard the Phillies signed Ben Stein too
And they got partial ownership of Walkers Horse
Mets could have used the bullpen depth
He didn’t want the pen….
@angt222
I dont think it would’ve gone well in Queens for Walker the way Lindor got in his head the last time he faced the Mets.
Phillies and Cubs front office going for it. Padres ownership…got no more money.
He was available for pro rata minimum can’t be worse than what we saw today
I am talking acquiring help on general. Passed on IKF when he is clearly better than what they have now. Must be the $1M he is owed. Ownership must be telling AJ, we have given you all you are going to get. Make do.
All these guys you mention are available for pennies-found-in-the-couch, Dan. Weird take brah!
So why not sign him? What possible reason not to? McCoy and Wagner (and Iglesias) are better? Not!
Ok, I’ll play. Who would you DFA off the 40, Dan? And off the Active Roster, if not your 40 cut?
MCCoy works. Omar Cruz works. Jeez. How many do I need to offer? Fish in a barrel.
The kids you would cut have 12-14 combined years of control. We can discuss their merits and potential-to-help-the-club some other time; but you would do that to rent Kiner-Falefa and Buehler for the ROS? Walker looks cooked, for what it’s worth. Just IMO, O/C.
Could care less about Buehler. He is no better than what they already roll out there. But 12-14 years of AAAA players who have proven they can’t play inthe majors is not a virtue.
Yeah, you’re cutting them before any *realistic* opportunity to show otherwise. Seems rash, again, just in my humble opinion, especially for rentals. Aloha!
McCoy is 30 years old. Expired milk doesn’t get better with time.
And if he’s the Dodgers’ Opening Day SS in ’26..? There’s absolutely no chance that DFA backfires?!? All for Kiner-Falefa to take 4 ABs a week for 4 weeks?!? Shrewd.
Uh. What?
I can’t say I see that with McCoy specifically, though it would be very Padresing for a DFA’d afterthought to catch on somewhere else and be pretty good (aware this happens with other orgs, just looking at it from a homer standpoint lol)
You’ll take Kyle Hart and you’ll like it
Or any of the other dead horses not named Pivetta.
By signing a washed up pitcher with a dead arm to a minor league deal?
Wishing him the best of luck.
Phils just made of 40 Man spots!
I know he’s not been great, but thought he’d be worth kicking the tires on.
Then again, maybe that’s the “I just had to watch Kyle Hart” blues talking.
Makes me pine for the good ol’ days of JP Sears…
Go Pads! 🤙🏽😎🤙🏽
Why go to Sears when you can shop at K-Hart 🥁
Steve Finley that was awesome!
Cabe Cotham…
FRONT AND CENTER…….
DD doing his job to let CC do HIS job…. Intrigue as the calendar turns….
Is Buehler available for the postseason? He won’t have time to get into a game today, but will he be available as long as he’s on the 26 man roster before the day is over?
I think all that’s needed is a minor league deal by end of today
From MLB: “In a typical season, any player who is on the 40-man roster or 60-day injured list as of 11:59 p.m. ET on Aug. 31 is eligible for the postseason.”
It also says, “A player who doesn’t meet said criteria for postseason eligibility can still be added to a team’s roster in the postseason via petition to the Commissioner’s Office if the player was in the organization on Aug. 31 and is replacing someone who is on the injured list and has served the minimum amount of time required for activation. (For example, a player on the 10-day injured list who has been on it for at least 10 days, or a player who has been on the 60-day injured list for at least 60 days.) Players who are acquired in September or after are ineligible.” Such permission is routinely granted. The Tigers did this with Jackson Jobe last postseason. He had been selected to their 40-man roster the last week of the season.
I may have to leave this site. Ads are getting difficult to navigate. Hope somebody who makes decisions around here sees this and can make changes.
I mean it’s nothing to leave over but they are getting very annoying. The banner ads and things were fine but the Big popups are getting very frustrating. It was bad enough they moved chats to this page so the ads can be on the chat.
If you use Brave browser for mobile there’s no ads. *insert starship troopers “I’m doing my part” meme*
second or third the Brave browser its really worth the switch
The Front Office subscription is probably the best bargain on the internet. I highly recommend it.
Agreed.
If the writers were better across all sites I’d consider it. But the errors in the articles daily are worse than Espn
Use Brave browser on your phone or laptop. No ads.
Weird.
As a Sox fan, he was very difficult to watch this year. Horrible for the most part even. But he seemed like a good clubhouse giy, wishing him the best. Always been a fan.
I mean Painter is right there dd. Crawford too. I dont hate this, but it’s unnecessary on the 40.
Painter is not ready at all.
If hes not now he never will be
He’s 22. Plenty of time. That’s a silly comment.
Comes a point where you break a guys confidence. Fine line were playing with Painter here. Crawford too.
Painter is coming off surgery. He needs time. Crawford needs to play every day at this point. He won’t get that opportunity while a veteran team is chasing a World Series. He needs more at bats. Platooning in the majors won’t help him.
I agree Painter needs time, but he deserves a look already.
Crawford stop it hes a .323 career hitter in the minors with 45 sb and a .336 avg in aaa.
Its disrespectful absolutely.
Phillies have been dying for of help and dd acts like crawford doesn’t exist in call up consideration or trade.
He should have been up day 1 vs what they’ve thrown in cf instead over him.
God forbid Crawfords profile isn’t a home run hitter, but he is a leadoff guy with an absolute menace on the basepaths.
He doesn’t need to prove anything to the phillies.
The fact they think he does oh he ain’t gonna forget the fact that Bader is taking away his earning on his extension asks.
No not in the least.
I didn’t say he needs to prove anything. I said he would be wasted platooning on a MLB roster. He needs to be an everyday player at this stage in his development. He’ll get that opportunity next year. There’s a huge skill gap between the pitchers Crawford is facing and major league pitchers. There would likely be a struggle. Marsh, Bader, Kepler and Casty need to play if we hope to make a WS run. It’s just a matter of not having enough room to develop a young hitter in the majors right now.
If the Red Sox face the Phillies in the World Series and Walker Buehler wins a game against us, I will crap my pants, immediately resign and move to Canada.
No! Not Canada!!!
That is my fear. He gets dumped and turns things around for another team. I know he was really inconsistent but if the Sox have an injury and he turns things around it will be really disappointing. Not that I want him to be unsuccessful for the Phillies, it made sense for them to give him the opportunity. I just wish the Sox had found a way to hold onto him. We will see what happens. May has not been any better and we are stuck with him.
My point was that I wished the Sox had held onto him. I am not sure where you got from my comments that it helps the Sox if he gets better with another team.
He’s not going to get better. He’s not going to regain his velocity and he has no “out pitch.” He never seems to be locked in when on the mound and also never knows where his next pitch is going. Plus, he was always behind in the count. “Other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln?”
The only reason you would keep him would be to cover yourself if a starter gets an injury. It is not that he is suddenly going to be the ace.
True. If Craig craps his pants and tries to move to Canada, they will probably make him clean up first before entering the country.
@Craig’s Burner,
Promise?
Is he better than Romano? Yes.
It’s a smart signing.
Depth move because painter hasn’t pitched in two years and is not ready. Bueller can be there in case they need a spot starter, but I think this is really a move for next year. If he’s 100% can you imagine what this rotation could potentially look like?
Next year? Buehler will be a free agent when the season is over.
If he moves to the bullpen and finds success to end the season and into the postseason, do you think he’d posture himself as a starter or a reliever in the off-season? What would get him the most years and money in that scenario?
I’m perfectly happy he went to one of my 29 favorite teams. If he’s a prima donna he can hang out with Harper, if he’s not, Schwarber.
Which team do you hate? Lol
@gwynning I like the idea of concentrating your hatred on one team rather than spreading it around to 28 other teams. I might adopt this approach.
Burn in a hoarders house full of animal droppings St Louis Cardinals! Everyone other team have a slightly less enjoyable day than my favorite team. Maybe I just wish you get your second choice of bagel.
It’s not much of a secret who I hate. They beat the Padres in the World Series.
When you come to a fork in the road, take it.
And have your knife ready as well.
It’s not like Romano and Roberts are irreplaceable. Walker also got shelled his last outing, and Painter hasn’t earned a promotion.
He has been a solid fifth starter but I can’t imagine Walker starting a playoff game. I think Buehler is competing with Nola for the 4th starter role in the playoffs.
I was referring to Taijuan Walker, to be clear. 3.63 ERA is great from your fifth starter. But I still think it’ll be either Nola or Buehler as the fourth playoff starter.
Walker has not been really bad this year. His numbers are great for a 5th starter.
Good move for Phils
Great move. If he sucks easy to release him. Really had no choice since Painter has proven he is not ready.
They can have Dustin May, too – no charge. I’ll personally drive him to Philly. Again, no charge.
Dustin May is in the AL now.
So far it stands for automatic loss.
I don’t see this one making much of an impact this year. But stranger things have happened.
He will be out of baseball on 2 years
If he has another good postseason, he could reinvent himself as a reliever
Long man replacement for Joe Ross?
“Frye?…Frye?…..
…Frye?….”
Nice pick up Philly. Enjoy all the first inning home runs and 3rd inning bullpen activity.
Buddy hasn’t thrown a good pitch since 2021. Enjoy that ERA that dwells around 6
I hope this isn’t a stupid question: Since he signed a minor league contract, why do the Phillies have to pay him the prorated MLB minimum salary?
Not a stupid question at all, bud! This one isn’t as complicated as you might think- because Buehler had a guaranteed Major League contract before being axed. The Sox are on the hook for the remainder. ($2.8MM-ish? Rough estimate)
This is a good move for PHI, he’s got great post season experience which will be beneficial. They have a healthy lead in the division, so going to AAA is good. That gives them time to get him right. If he doesn’t get right where they want him to be than it don’t cost them much. But if I’m a betting man he will be on that post season roster ready to go.
They’re going to pitch him in one game for Lehigh valley, then call him up to join the big league rotation. It’s possible he gets a postseason start. Sanchez, Suarez, and Luzardo are locks to start in the postseason, but Nola has a 6.47 ERA and frankly doesn’t deserve to be on the postseason roster at all.
And his chance of winning a ring just jumped from 0 to excellent.
I guess we will see if Walker Buehler has anything left to offer.
I was really hoping the Tigers would try to sign Walker…
Move him over as far as possible to the 3rd base side of the pitcher’s mound.Rich Hill learned this when he was out of mlb helping his 13 yr old nephew’s American Legion team.If not his breaking pitches will continue to miss the strike zone.Worth a try.Sugano of the Orioles has success doing it.But then again I couldn’t be a pitching coach on a wiffleball team
yuck (derogatory)