The Boston Red Sox find themselves outside the postseason picture, prompting trade talks around two-time World Series winner Walker Buehler. The right-handed pitcher, who signed a one-year, $21 million deal in the offseason, has struggled to meet expectations at Fenway Park, fueling speculation about a potential move before the trade deadline.

Concerns intensify over Buehler’s recent performances

Buehler has openly acknowledged that he has not been at his best, which has limited his ability to pitch deep into games. This has led to increased pressure on Boston’s bullpen and raised doubts about Buehler’s future with the team. Former closer Jonathan Papelbon shared his views on Foul Territory, emphasizing the urgency of the situation:

“I don’t think he has a long rope — there’s no question about that—because you’re getting to the point of the season where you can’t afford to have these starts where your starter goes out and pitches two, two and a third, and then you waste your bullpen for the entire series. So the rope is definitely short for Walker Buehler.”

—Jonathan Papelbon, former MLB closer

Mechanical issues may be undermining Buehler’s consistency

Papelbon pointed out multiple occasions this season where Buehler’s pitch count soared before completing even three innings, highlighting concerns about his efficiency on the mound. He believes that a mechanical flaw, especially involving Buehler’s stride, could be a root cause of his command problems.

“I’m sure there are little tweaks and stuff going on with him, but to me, it’s more mechanical,”

—Jonathan Papelbon

“I don’t know if it’s a lead leg mechanic thing. What I personally think is his stride is a little bit too long. He’s just got to cut his stride down a bit, get back on top of the baseball so he can command it a little better.”

—Jonathan Papelbon

In 16 starts this season, Buehler has managed only 78 innings pitched, averaging roughly 4.875 innings per outing. This falls below the current <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/baseball/mlb/”>MLB starting pitcher average of about 5.22 innings per start, as tracked by StatMuse during the 2024 campaign. While full data for 2025 is not yet available, early indications suggest similar innings totals, underwriting concerns about Buehler’s durability and effectiveness.

Red Sox face critical decisions amid playoff aspirations

Given Buehler’s struggles and the increasing demands on Boston’s bullpen, the Red Sox appear to be weighing a trade option before the deadline. Such a move could help them retool their pitching staff and address bullpen fatigue as they seek to regain a postseason spot. The outcome of this speculation will likely have significant implications for the team’s remaining season and competitive outlook.