It’s late October, Game 7, bottom of the ninth. The Dodgers are three outs from glory. Out from the bullpen strides a right-hander the crowd knows well, poised, unshaken, surgical. Three outs later, champagne flows in the clubhouse, and a familiar face hoists the trophy. That’s the kind of memory that never fades in Los Angeles. And it just might become the reason the Dodgers make one of the boldest trade moves of the summer.

That man was Walker Buehler, once the future of L.A.’s rotation, now a $21 million bet by the Boston Red Sox. After undergoing a second Tommy John surgery and missing nearly all of 2023 and 2024, Buehler signed a one-year deal with Boston, hoping to prove he still belongs among the elite. His 2025 return has been a mixed bag: flashes of dominance, a 4–1 record, but then a setback, shoulder inflammation that landed him on the injured list in May. Still, for the Dodgers, the upside is impossible to ignore.

Rumors swirl louder with each passing week. Whispers from the East Coast say the Dodgers have their eyes on a proven arm, someone who could bring stability just when the team needs it most. The Red Sox, dealing with their own struggles, might be willing to listen if the price is right. And so does ESPN’s Jeff Passan predict.

“They saw last year what Buehler turns into in October,” wrote Buehler. “Any sort of reunion would necessitate a Red Sox collapse, and as bad as they look right now, that’s premature.”

The Dodgers have one mission: get to October healthy, armed, and dangerous. Regular-season records are secondary. Right now, their rotation is teetering. Kershaw, Gonsolin, and Sheehan are all out. Even Glasnow and Yamamoto, as sharp as they’ve been, come with workload concerns. That’s why Buehler is such a tantalizing option. He’s not just a familiar arm, he’s a proven October performer with ice in his veins and Dodger blue still coursing through him.

But here’s the twist: the deal hinges entirely on Boston’s direction. If the Red Sox remain in the playoff mix, Buehler stays put. But if they slide further, and right now, their inconsistency and thin rotation suggest it’s possible, the phones will start ringing. And L.A., armed with one of baseball’s deepest farm systems, can outbid almost anyone.

This wouldn’t be a reunion for nostalgia. It’s strategic. It’s calculated. It’s exactly the kind of move a team makes when the goal isn’t just making the playoffs, it’s winning everything. And if the stars align, the Dodgers and Buehler may write one more October chapter together.

Dodgers October memories: Why Walker Buehler still matters

Every October, certain images become legend: Madison Bumgarner staring down batters in 2014, Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling tag-teaming in 2001, or David Freese’s walk-off chaos in 2011. For the 2024 Dodgers, former pitcher Buehler didn’t just contribute to their title run, he helped close the book on it. Buehler, coming off years of injuries and questions, became the rock Los Angeles leaned on when it mattered most. His regular season had been cautious. His October? Clinical.

It started with four shutout innings against the Mets in the NLDS, just his second postseason appearance since returning from his second Tommy John surgery. But the exclamation point came in Game 6 of the World Series. With the Dodgers clinging to a 3-run lead and Atlanta threatening in the 9th, Buehler jogged in from the bullpen. Calm as ever, he retired the side, striking out two, inducing a weak grounder, and sealing a championship. For a team built on superstars, it was Buehler, the comeback story, who threw the final pitch of the season.

That kind of resume isn’t just nice to have. It’s scarce. You can’t fake postseason poise, and Buehler’s October ERA now sits at 2.45 over 18 appearances, including six scoreless outings of five innings or more. That’s not a hot streak; it’s a trend. So when teams ask whether he’s worth $21 million, even with some shoulder soreness and IL time this spring, the Dodgers already know the answer. He’s not just trusted. He’s proven.

And in a clubhouse that values history, chemistry, and championship DNA, Buehler still fits like a glove.