Mets have interest in Walker Buehler: report

The Mets, who just bolstered their starting rotation by signing Frankie Montas, have interest in free agent right-hander Walker Buehler, reports Joel Sherman of The New York Post.

Per The Post, the market for Buehler is “deep.”

Buehler is the only pitcher available this offseason via free agency who has legitimate ace potential, but who almost certainly won’t require a long-term deal. It seems likely that he’ll ink a one- or two-year deal (potentially with the second year being a player option) in order to build his value back up following Tommy John surgery and a difficult regular season in 2024.

A plus regarding Buehler is that the Dodgers did not extend a qualifying offer to him, which means any team that signs him will not lose a draft pick for doing so.

Buehler’s struggles during the 2024 regular season were pronounced, as he posted a 5.38 ERA (5.54 FIP) and 1.55 WHIP in 16 starts over 75.1 innings while striking out 64 — a career-low 7.6 per nine.

A closer look shows that Buehler’s stuff graded out near the bottom of the league. Meanwhile, many of his advanced stats (including xERA, xBA, chase rate, and whiff rate) were among the worst in baseball.

But as the Dodgers’ championship run went on, Buehler started to resemble the best version of himself, culminating with 4.0 shutout innings against the Mets in the NLCS and 6.0 scoreless innings against the Yankees in the World Series. In those two series, he allowed just five hits, walked four, and struck out 13.

When Buehler is right, he is a No. 1 starter. From 2018 to 2021 he had a 2.82 ERA (3.16 FIP) and 0.98 WHIP while striking out 620 batters in 564.0 innings — a strikeout rate a tick under 10.0 per nine.

And while Buehler struggled this past season during what was his first year back after having Tommy John surgery in August of 2022 (his second TJS, after also having the procedure in 2015), there are reasons to believe he’ll be able to return to form in 2025 as he enters his age-30 season.

With Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, and Jose Quintana free agents, the Mets’ rotation remains in need of serious help even after the Montas signing.

Kodai Senga and Montas will enter spring training as rotation locks, with David Peterson perhaps close to a lock.

Other rotation options on the 40-man roster include Paul Blackburn (who is recovering from a spinal procedure), Tylor Megill, and Jose Butto (if the Mets shift him back from the bullpen to the rotation).