BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox released right-hander Walker Buehler on Friday, one week after the team had moved him from the rotation to the bullpen.
When the Red Sox signed Buehler as a free agent to a one-year, $21 million deal with a mutual option for 2026, they were hoping his postseason experience would be a boon to their rotation in October. Instead, Buehler struggled all season, with a 5.40 ERA in 22 starts, and made one relief appearance before he was released in order to make room on the roster for top pitching prospect Payton Tolle. Tolle will start Friday against Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“Really, really tough decision (to release Buehler),” chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said after the moves were announced. “(Buehler is) a guy who’s been a really good starting pitcher in this league for a long time, struggled to stay on the field with injuries, but we felt like he could be a boost to our rotation. And then when it became clear that there was maybe a better opportunity for him to contribute from the pen, we made that move.
“Our hope and our expectation was we were going to be able to provide enough runway to give him a chance to settle in and transition into that role and contribute down the stretch in getting some meaningful outs for us,” Breslow added.
That plan changed, Breslow noted, when Richard Fitts landed on the injured list earlier this week in Baltimore with right arm neuritis, something he’s still being tested for. Fitts’ absence changed the configuration of the rotation and necessitated the call for Tolle.
“Losing that length piece in the pen (with Fitts) and needing a starter tonight, it just felt like this was what was best for the team at this point,” Breslow said.
Welcome to Boston, Payton Tolle! pic.twitter.com/2va3Th5Ako
— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 29, 2025
In his lone relief appearance for Boston, Buehler allowed two runs in 2 1/3 innings. Buehler had a similarly disappointing regular season for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season (5.38 ERA in 75 1/3 innings) but starred in the postseason, not allowing a run over his final 10 innings in the playoffs and recording the final out for the Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series.
The Red Sox were banking on that version of Buehler joining their rotation, hoping that as he moved further from his 2022 Tommy John surgery, he’d be closer to the pitcher he was with the Dodgers for much of his career. Instead, he struggled all season with his command, posting a 4.4 BB/9 and allowing 22 home runs.
“I think consistency is the thing that we would all point to,” Breslow said as the biggest struggle for Buehler. “There were a few times during the season where we felt like things were starting to click. You can look at the start against Philadelphia, start against San Diego, and then those often were followed by starts where he struggled a little bit. If we had the perfect answers, then we wouldn’t be in this position, but it’s certainly not because of Walker’s lack of investment in trying to get things back on track or the pitching group’s investment in trying to help him.”
The Red Sox are hoping Tolle can step into what had been Buehler’s rotation spot for much of the season. The 2024 second-round pick from TCU has climbed three levels in what has been his professional debut season, posting a 3.04 ERA in 91 2/3 innings with 133 strikeouts and only 22 walks. In three starts for Triple-A Worcester, Tolle had a 3.60 ERA and a 172 K:BB in 15 innings.
Breslow suggested Tolle will remain in the rotation down the stretch, but also noted the team will be mindful of his innings total in his first professional season.
“I think we brought up Payton with the expectation that he’s going to be able to contribute down the stretch for us, and exactly what that looks like is to be determined,” Breslow said. “But I think over the last four, five months, he’s really impressed at every level. He’s made significant strides in terms of his development, and we have every reason to believe that he can be a very good major-league starting pitcher.”
Tolle’s elite fastball and extension are what have helped him rack up strikeouts throughout the minors. The Red Sox have worked on helping him develop his secondary pitches, particularly a slider and changeup.
In addition to adding Tolle to the roster on Friday, the Red Sox recalled utility man Nick Sogard from Triple A and sent down rookie Jhostynxon Garcia. Garcia went 1-for-7 with a double and two walks in his first taste of the big leagues.
Sogard’s ability to play any infield position adds value, but particularly at first base. The Red Sox have played Romy Gonzalez at first the last few days while Nathaniel Lowe has been on paternity leave.
(Photo: Paul Rutherford / Getty Images)