The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series in 2024 and there was hardly a doubt about it on their dominant postseason run. Despite a lot of injuries, Los Angeles took down the New York Yankees in five games.
One of the Dodgers' postseason heroes was pitcher Walker Buehler, who stepped up in the absence of multiple starters to dominate in the World Series. But now Buehler is a free agent and he's not likely to re-sign with the Dodgers.
Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer recently predicted Buehler wouldn't re-sign with Los Angeles. Instead, Rymer predicts the righty will sign a $45 million deal with the Chicago Cubs that includes opt outs after 2025 and 2026.
"On the plus side, Buehler ran an average fastball of 95.0 mph with one of the best breaking balls on the Los Angeles Dodgers. And in the end, his 10 straight scoreless innings were a big reason they won the World Series," Rymer wrote. "Buehler is to this year's market what Jack Flaherty was to the 2023-24 market. He doesn't offer much in the way of certainty, but his history and his future upside make him a compelling target on a one-year deal or a long-term contract with opt-outs."
Opt-outs would work very well for Buehler. He has ace potential, but with all of his injuries, there are question marks surrounding him. Giving him the option to play a year with the Cubs and opt out if he proves that he's still a star is a huge plus for the righty.
For the Cubs, adding Buehler allows them to move one of their more expensive starters in a trade. It would be a solid pickup for Chicago.
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