Walker Buehler’s tough story with the Boston Red Sox is over after what was a difficult year for him, one in which he could not finish the season. The team’s rotation is now down a key arm, and Garrett Crochet is without a teammate who brought a lot of experience to the mound.
The Red Sox rotation without Buehler now looks like this: Crochet, Brayan Bello, Giolito, and May, with the likely addition of Payton Tolle for other games. In any case, the team has options in case they need to pull someone from the bullpen.
Things simply weren’t working for Buehler. His 5.45 ERA in 23 games was becoming a serious problem for the team, which had to make the decision to cut him before September.
Will Crochet Be Affected Without Buehler?
Not really, but people will expect much more from him now that there isn’t another arm like Buehler’s available for the Red Sox mound. Despite his struggles this season, the former Dodger is an 8-year veteran in MLB.
Tolle had a solid professional debut, allowing only two runs in 5.1 innings. This means the rotation could benefit significantly if he manages to earn a consistent spot. His debut was not against the strongest team of the season, but he showed a lot of maturity.
Buehler will likely find another team for the playoffs. He still has enough time to find one, and he is a relatively cheap pitcher for the experience he has, as his contract with the Red Sox was for $21 million for a single season.