As the MLB trade deadline nears, Walker Buehler’s future with the Boston Red Sox appears uncertain amid a troubling 2025 season marked by an unusually high ERA and declining velocity. Despite his struggles, several teams see value in the right-hander’s postseason experience and potential rebound, making the Walker Buehler MLB trade destinations topic a hot point of discussion across the league.
Teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, and San Diego Padres each face unique situations that could make Buehler a tempting trade target. With varying degrees of need and risk tolerance, these clubs contemplate whether acquiring a pitcher with proven October pedigree — albeit in a slump — could pay dividends in the playoffs or further strain their pitching depth.
Los Angeles Dodgers Consider Rekindling a Familiar Partnership
The Dodgers, who previously benefited from Buehler’s dominance in the 2018-2021 seasons, harbor a pragmatic interest in reuniting with their former ace as injuries cripple their current rotation. Though they allowed Buehler to leave without offering a qualifying contract, Los Angeles recognizes the value in his prior postseason performances, particularly during their 2020 World Series championship run. His dominant fastball and precise cutting pitches once made him a feared October presence in their rotation.
Currently, Buehler’s on-field results are marred by decline, shifting perception from a reliable frontline starter to a risky option. Nevertheless, the Dodgers’ front office specializes in player revival, as accounts from past successful reclamation projects like Jason Heyward and Tyler Anderson testify. Their familiarity with Buehler’s strengths and weaknesses could create an environment conducive to restoring at least part of his former glory.
In a roster beset by injuries and experiments relying on rookies and relief arms, Buehler could bolster depth—even if not in ace form. If coaching adjustments unlock 70% of his prior performance, the Dodgers would gain valuable innings during a critical stretch. With their historical commitment to calculated gambles paired with solid scouting, the team may view this reunion as a strategic risk rather than a sentimental reunion.
New York Mets Eye Buehler as a High-Risk, High-Reward Asset
For the Mets, acquiring Walker Buehler fits their tendency to pursue high-profile talents despite recent struggles. With key pitchers Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea sidelined, the rotation’s immediate vulnerability invites bold moves. Steve Cohen’s ownership style, which embraces headline-grabbing acquisitions, aligns with chasing a player whose postseason pedigree remains enticing despite a miserable 2025 performance.
Buehler’s diminished fastball velocity, poor Stuff+ metrics, and unfavorable advanced statistics contrast sharply with his past pitching dominance, complicating the Mets’ calculus. Adding to the uncertainty is the remaining $11 million on his contract and the absence of any prior clubhouse familiarity within the Mets’ roster. Still, the franchise believes in the potential upside, especially with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner’s reputation for rehabilitating struggling pitchers.
If Buehler can recapture a portion of his previous brilliance, the Mets might gain a crucial component in a relatively weak National League Wild Card competition. Should the gamble fail, the team risks wasting resources on a pitcher unlikely to help. Yet, for an organization accustomed to managing volatility and high expectations, Buehler represents a gamble worth considering—offering either playoff magic or further unpredictability.
Chicago Cubs Weigh Buehler’s Experience Against Current Rotation Needs
The Chicago Cubs find themselves in a precarious position, flirting with playoff contention but facing fragile pitching depth. Injuries to Justin Steele and recent returns like Shota Imanaga highlight the need for reliability and veteran presence in their starting rotation. Walker Buehler’s declining statistics make him a risky option; however, his playoff experience and demonstrated resilience under pressure hold a distinctive value.
Buehler’s 2025 campaign is marked by a blurry fastball and a 6.29 ERA, showing clear performance issues and diminished Stuff+. With $11 million remaining on his contract, he represents a significant investment for the Cubs, who might typically target younger or healthier arms. Yet, in a tightly contested division race, experienced pitchers with a history of playoff success provide a unique asset that could stabilize their rotation during critical stretches.
The Cubs could view Buehler less as a savior and more as a high-risk veteran presence to complement their rebuilding efforts. While his metrics fail to impress, the intangible qualities he brings—competitive grit and battle-tested poise—could provide a psychological edge in October. In a franchise balancing desperation and ambition, Buehler embodies the precarious choice between playing it safe or chasing chaotic opportunity that just might yield a playoff breakthrough.
San Diego Padres Look to Buehler for Rotational Support Amid Injuries
The Padres’ injury-crippled rotation increasingly resembles a patchwork operation, with Joe Musgrove sidelined for the season and Yu Darvish and Mike Clevinger battling physical setbacks. Against this backdrop, Walker Buehler emerges as an intriguing, if flawed, candidate to provide much-needed innings and experience. Notably, his past success at Petco Park—a 2.67 ERA—suggests he could rediscover comfort pitching in San Diego.
Despite a current 6.29 ERA and visible decline in velocity and effectiveness, Buehler’s postseason experience represents a scarce commodity in a pitching staff struggling to maintain consistency. The Padres’ front office, known for embracing risk and embracing “chaos but make it competitive,” may regard Buehler as a worthwhile investment to halt their rotation’s deterioration.
Though warnings about Buehler’s declining advanced metrics and bruised confidence abound, the $11 million left on his contract mirrors a bold bet on his upside rather than a low-cost acquisition typical for smaller market teams. The team’s dire rotation situation and heavy bullpen workload mean even a partially restored Buehler could be an invaluable asset, especially facing familiar foes from his former Dodgers tenure.
San Diego’s willingness to gamble on a pitcher with fading tools yet considerable postseason savvy demonstrates their broader approach to roster construction. While Buehler is far from a guaranteed fix, the Padres’ need for innings that don’t unravel outweighs caution, leaving them poised to potentially add him as an experienced, if imperfect, piece of their playoff puzzle.
Walker Buehler’s Trade Value Reflects Teams’ Appetite for Risk and Reward
Walker Buehler’s struggling 2025 campaign has unsettled expectations once held for the former Dodgers ace, opening questions about his next destination. Nevertheless, four teams—Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, and San Diego Padres—are reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring him. Each team faces unique challenges and varying levels of desperation that could overshadow his deteriorating stats with hopes of postseason resurgence.
While Buehler’s current performance metrics warrant concern, his prior playoff success and the intangibles of experience and toughness retain value for teams chasing October relevance. The Dodgers have a history of restoring players’ careers, possibly offering the best environment for Buehler’s revival. The Mets and Cubs weigh his upside against their immediate rotation needs and willingness to take bold chances. Meanwhile, the Padres’ rotation woes make him a plausible stopgap, offering familiarity and experience.
In July, struggling pitchers with playoff pedigrees often become intriguing trade targets for franchises embracing risk amid competitive urgency. The potential rewards for these teams include playoff depth or even a late-career renaissance for Buehler, counterbalanced by the possibility that his decline continues unchecked. Ultimately, his MLB trade destinations will hinge on which front office is most comfortable wagering on the uncertain combination of talent, history, and hope.