Stay or Go: Should Phillies Bring Back Walker Buehler?

The veteran righty showed some flashes in his brief Phillies tenure, but is it enough to warrant a reunion?

Sep 25, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Walker Buehler (31) throws a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies made a shrewd move late in the regular season, adding an experienced starting pitcher who gave them some effective outings.

After being released by the Boston Red Sox on August 29th, Walker Buehler was quickly added to the Phillies' 40-man roster just two days later. He made one appearance with the AAA affiliate Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, and made his debut with the MLB club on September 12th against the Royals.

He posted an abysmal 5.45 Earned Run Average across 23 games, leading to his release, but looked like a new man in Philadelphia. In three contests with two starts, Buehler allowed just one run in 13.2 innings, good for a 0.66 ERA. He didn't appear in the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers and is about to enter free agency for the second time in two years.

Spotrac has listed his market value at $10 million+ on a potential new one-year contract, and he is far from the upper echelon of impending available starters. An incredibly rough two straight regular seasons, as Buehler had, would normally make for a very unappealing free agent profile, but his postseason success and flashes of adequate ability could lead to him landing another decent-sized role with a team.

The Verdict: Stay, But Don't Overextend

Buehler isn't what he used to be, and there's little evidence to prove that he can ever reach those heights again. But with what he showed in his mere three appearances in Philadelphia, taking a flyer on the 31-year-old is far from the worst idea on paper.

With ERAs firmly among the highest in the league the past two seasons, the price for Buehler shouldn't be that high, even in an absurd pitching market. The one-year, $20 million deal he signed with Boston is likely far higher than what any team will offer him going into 2026, making even more of a case to buy into the brief (but real) upside that he displayed in September.

Retaining Buehler as either a depth starter or a long reliever would offer a cheaper and potentially more productive option than Taijuan Walker, who is scheduled to make $18 million next season.

With Walker already on the roster, however, and far more pressing needs at other parts of the team, Buehler should be far from the Phillies brass' top priority. A team-friendly deal to bring him in to boost the team's rotation or bullpen could be advantageous for both sides, but President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski and the front office likely won't benefit from extending themselves to keep the veteran.