Jul 27, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Walker Buehler (0) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Reports: Red Sox Have 2 Options To Replace Walker Buehler

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Aug 23, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Boston Red Sox ripped off the band-aid and made a difficult decision on Friday.

There has been some chatter for a few weeks about the possibility of moving Walker Buehler out of the starting rotation. He actually has looked better lately than he did at the beginning of the season. But, his command was still shaky, including eight walks over his last 10 innings pitched, and Boston opted to move him out of the rotation. The Red Sox announced the decision on Friday, as shared by MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo.

"Walker Buehler is going to the bullpen, Alex Cora announced," Cotillo said. "The starter for Monday is TBD. Cora said Buehler 'handled it like a professional.'"

The Red Sox have two options to replace Walker Buehler

Boston has two more games left in its series against the New York Yankees. Garrett Crochet is getting the ball on Saturday and will be followed by Dustin May on Sunday. On Monday, the Red Sox will begin a series against the Baltimore Orioles and this is when the club will have to make a decision. So, who could it be on the mound? Cotillo noted that Richard Fitts and Kyle Harrison are both options.

"For Monday's outing, Richard Fitts and Kyle Harrison are the leading candidates to pitch," Cotillo said. "It'll likely depend on how the next few days go in NY. If Fitts pitches (in a multi-inning role), bet on Harrison to make that start. If not, Fitts is with the club and ready."

Fitts is up with the team and it was initially reported that he was called up to help out in the bullpen. He hasn't been used out of the bullpen yet, so Monday certainly is a possibility. Harrison was the jewel of the Rafael Devers trade but hasn't made a start with Boston yet. Harrison has been down with the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox and has a 3.69 ERA in 10 starts.

At some point, Harrison is going to be a big piece for this rotation. Could that start on Monday?

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: