With an already fully-loaded rotation after trading for Garrett Crochet, the Boston Red Sox continue to add to their arsenal of starters.

After adding Aroldis Chapman to the bullpen earlier this month, the Sox also signed two starting pitchers to round out their rotation: Walker Buehler and Patrick Sandoval.

Boston is all-in on high-risk, high-reward pitchers this offseason. While some may argue that a team can never have enough starters, it’s hard to see where Buehler and Sandoval make an immediate impact. By acquiring two buy-low, sell-high pitchers with bumpy track records, the Sox have seemingly locked themselves into a season full of booms or busts.

Diving into the good, the bad, and the ugly, here are the grades for the Sox’s signings of Buehler and Sandoval.

Grading new Red Sox rotation additions Walker Buehler, Patrick Sandoval

RHP Walker Buehler

The good: Buehler brings talent and playoff experience to a team that desperately needs it. From 2018-2022, he was locked in for the Dodgers with a 2.82 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 620 strikeouts. He is a two-time All-Star and Cy Young Award votes recipient. He also placed third in the 2018 Rookie of the Year Award. The Sox gain a plethora of pitching expertise and experience with Buehler that is invaluable.

The bad: Although Buehler has shown he can be a No. 2 or No. 3 pitcher, his last season is concerning. He already showed signs of regressing in his 2022 season before he underwent Tommy John surgery, but his return this year was far from promising. Over 16 games he had a 5.38 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and a -1.3 WAR. Compared to the Dodgers bullpen and top-ranked starting rotation, Buehler will have less wiggle room for error in Boston.

The ugly: Signing Buehler to an expensive contract for one year could get ugly for Boston quickly. Buehler’s rough 2024 performance doesn’t warrant a $210.5 million deal, no matter how well he pitched this postseason. Although he is optimistic that he’ll return to peak form, the Sox’s heavy investment on Buehler’s upside could backfire if he doesn’t excel within the first couple months.

Grade: B

LHP Patrick Sandoval

The good: Sandoval has demonstrated the ability to be a decent pitcher. In 2021 he had a 3.62 ERA and career-low 1.21 WHIP with three relief appearances, one of which resulted in a save. The next year, he dropped his ERA to 2.91 while adding a shutout and a complete game to his resume. He brings a nasty changeup that ranks fifth in the league in zone whiff and chase rate, per Thomas Nestico.

The bad: Sandoval is inconsistent. When he’s off, he’s really off. He’s posted a 5.00+ ERA in four of his six seasons and has a 2.24 K/99 ratio overall. Although he doesn’t give up too many dingers, he certainly doesn’t keep hitters off the bases. His shaky command has resulted in a 4.00+ BB/9 rate in half his total pitching seasons. What’s worse is his temper, which often digs him into a deeper hole. Jeff Fletcher fromThe Los Angeles Daily News reported in an interview with Sandoval in February 2024:

“In the past, Sandoval has been visibly upset when teammates didn’t make plays behind him when he would get unlucky at allowing a bloop hit, or if an umpire’s call didn’t go his way. At times, that would lead to an unraveling that spoiled his outing.”

The ugly: There’s little foresight into how Sandoval might perform next year as he comes off from Tommy John surgery. He isn’t expected to be back until the second half of the season and after pitching a short, poor 2024 season, hopes aren’t high. He doesn’t immediately augment the team and with such low expectations, Sandoval’s $5.5 million salary in his first year of a two-year deal almost looks like an overpay.

Grade: C

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