The starting pitching plans of the Boston Red Sox will be a story to follow for many more weeks, if not months.

Until the Red Sox shore up their rotation, it’s hard to honestly call them true contenders. There’s enough talent on the rest of the roster for Boston to go far in 2025, but without a more reliable rotation, they could still be doomed to finish around .500.

That could mean the Red Sox are aggressive at multiple levels of the starting pitching market this winter. On one hand, they should absolutely be pursuing top-of-the-line aces, but on the other, it’s important to monitor the pitchers projected for mid-market or one-year salaries to see if any could provide surplus value.

And if the Red Sox are looking specifically for a bounce-back candidate, they need look no further than Walker Buehler, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-time All-Star who was the hero of Game 3 of the World Series.

Buehler had a horrific regular season in 2024, surely driving down his price tag in the process, but he’s had two straight scoreless playoff starts and showcased the electric stuff that once made him a superstar. Katie Manganelli of FanSided recently urged the Red Sox to pursue Buehler on the back of his dominant starts.

“In his start against the Yankees, Buehler met the moment and flashed some of his best work while all of MLB watched. His 2024 season and injury history may have decreased his value in free agency, but every ownership group looking to sign a starting pitcher had Buehler put back on their radar,” Manganelli said.

“Nick Pivetta will most likely leave the Red Sox as a free agent this winter and Garrett Whitlock will still need time to recover from his 2024 Tommy John surgery after the season has started. Buehler could be a suitable No. 3 or 4 option, but Boston would still need an ace.”

Buehler had a 5.38 ERA and a brutal 1.55 WHIP in 14 starts this season, which make it likely that the righty will sign a one-year deal and look to rebuild his value for the next big contract. Jim Bowden of The Athletic projected Buehler for a $10 million deal–plus incentives–in 2025.

Though it’s a high-risk move, it can’t hurt the Red Sox to have someone in house with the playoff track record Buehler is forging. All this could work in the Red Sox’s favor–a motivated Buehler in a contract year could continue to excel after a more normal offseason training regimen.