The Kansas City Royals have found themselves right back in the postseason mix late in the 2025 season. After a big 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night, they have come to within two games of the third and final American League Wild Card spot, currently held by the Seattle Mariners.
They won 86 games last year and were the second Wild Card team before sweeping the Baltimore Orioles in the first round and losing the ALDS to the New York Yankees. But they aren’t out of the mix just yet, and things may get interesting soon.
Their starting rotation has taken a few hits due to injuries, and they may need to add somebody before the postseason eligibility deadline. Zachary Howell of Clutch Points proposed the idea of Kansas City looking into Walker Buehler.
“Things have been so bad in Kansas City that Rich Hill has made a start. Cole Ragans’ injury issues make it difficult to rely on him to anchor the rotation alongside Seth Lugo. That leaves a gap in the back end of the pitching staff, and Buehler fills it perfectly. At this point in his career, Buehler wants to start, no matter where he stands in the rotation. The Royals can give him that chance,” Howell wrote.
After seemingly reviving his career with a dominant postseason last October and even closing out the World Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Buehler has not performed well in 2025. The two-time All-Star is 7-7 with a 5.45 ERA in 22 starts and one relief appearance over 112 1/3 innings of work.
He has not been the same pitcher that he was in his early days with the Dodgers. Boston signed him to a one-year, $21 million contract that included a mutual option for 2026.
Injuries certainly derailed him and caused him to miss the 2023 season. But the Royals have had some issues with their rotation. Cole Ragans hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and Seth Lugo also has regressed, so having somebody plug a hole could help them out as they try to make a push for the postseason. It will certainly be interesting to see what they decide to do.
However, it’s clear that Buehler is not quite the pitcher that he once was.
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