"I really don't care" - Walker Buehler's unenthusiastic stance ahead of Dodgers pitcher's upcoming free agency raises eyebrows 

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler has had a difficult campaign so far. The RHP has been highly inconsistent with all his starts this season. An almost two-year stint on the injury list meant that Buehler joined the Dodgers roster on May 6, only to struggle with his outings on the mound.

He will be a free agent after the current campaign, and his lackluster performances are likely going to affect his free agency market. When asked about his upcoming free agency, Walker Buehler said:

"There’s just not a whole lot to talk about, I have a six ERA. I am trying to figure out how to get people out in the major leagues. Free agency is for talking about when you have a two-five and you’re rolling through the league. I really don’t care.

"To be honest, I’ve played here my whole career. I love playing here. We’ve won [the 2020] World Series here," he added.

Buehler has been a Dodger since starting his journey in professional baseball. The Dodgers selected him as the No. 24 overall pick in the 2015 MLB draft and gave him a $1.78 million signing bonus. He required Tommy John surgery on his pitching arm, even before throwing a pitch in the minors, which sidelined him for 1.5 years.

Walker Buehler made his MLB debut towards the end of the 2017 season. He produced the best season of his MLB career in 2021 when he finished with a record of 16-4 with a 2.47 ERA and 212 strikeouts. However, he sustained a season-ending injury – yet again on his pitching arm – in August 2022 which saw him out of the league for another 1.5 years.

Buehler made his comeback in 2024 only to go back on the IL yet again after his rough start against the Colorado Rockies on June 18. This time he was saved from an injury on his pitching arm and instead sustained a hip injury. The Dodgers activated him from the IL for the second time this season on Aug. 14 but struggled on the mound in his latest outing.

Walker Buehler has been nowhere close to his best self since recuperating from his pitching arm injury

Walker Buehler is 1-4 through 10 starts this campaign with the LA Dodgers. He has an abysmal ERA of 6.09 with 35 strikeouts and a discouraging WHIP of 1.67. These stats are nowhere close to the talents possessed by the right-handed pitcher.

The Dodgers will hope that Buehler can find his rhythm on the mound for the remainder of the MLB season in what will be a handful of starts left before the postseason comes calling.