Phillies sign Walker Buehler to minor-league deal, making him postseason-eligible

The Philadelphia Phillies signed right-hander Walker Buehler to a minor-league contract Sunday and assigned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, a move that makes the former starter eligible to appear for the club in the postseason.

Buehler, 31, was released by the Boston Red Sox earlier this month and agreed to terms with Philadelphia in time for the club to include him on a playoff roster if needed. Phillies president Dave Dombrowski said the team believes Buehler strengthens the club as it pursues a postseason berth. “We’re excited to have him because we think he makes us better,” Dombrowski said.

The move arrives as Philadelphia seeks pitching reinforcements after a string of setbacks to its rotation. Zack Wheeler underwent thoracic outlet surgery that has ended his season, and veteran Aaron Nola is producing a 6.27 ERA in his most recent stretch of starts. The Phillies lead the National League East and are widely expected to win the division unless the New York Mets mount an extraordinary September comeback.

Buehler gives Philadelphia a veteran arm with a track record in high-leverage situations. A former Los Angeles Dodgers standout, he was a key member of World Series-winning teams in 2020 and 2024. In postseason work for the Dodgers, Buehler posted a 1.80 ERA in five starts, underscoring his previous effectiveness in October.

The right-hander’s tenure in Boston was short-lived. After being released by the Red Sox this month, he cleared the way to sign a minor-league deal that keeps his October options open. Under Major League Baseball rules, a player who joins an organization before the postseason eligibility deadline can be included on that club’s playoff roster, a timing that made the Phillies move possible.

Philadelphia has not disclosed how it plans to use Buehler. The minor-league assignment places him with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he can get work and be evaluated before any decision to place him on the major-league roster. The Phillies have mixed starters and bullpen options available but have dealt with inconsistency and injuries, creating an opening for an experienced pitcher who can start or provide length out of the bullpen.

Dombrowski framed the signing as part of the club’s broader push to qualify for the postseason and then to position itself to win in October. The Phillies have been active at the trade deadline and in free agency to shore up a roster that had completed last season with a deep playoff run. Adding Buehler continues that strategy of layering veteran pitching around a roster built to compete in short series.

Buehler’s résumé includes multiple seasons as a frontline starter and repeated postseason exposure. His ability to handle big-game situations was a factor in his acquisition, and the Phillies’ front office cited his experience when announcing the deal. If Buehler regains form, he could bolster a rotation that has been without Wheeler, one of its most reliable arms.

Philadelphia’s focus in the coming days will be on September’s stretch of regular-season games as the club seeks to maintain or extend its divisional lead. Buehler’s presence in Triple-A gives the Phillies an option they did not have earlier in the month and keeps open the possibility of adding him to the major-league roster before postseason rosters are finalized.

The Phillies did not provide a timetable for Buehler’s arrival at the major-league level. With the regular season entering its final month, any addition for October will depend on health, performance and how the club’s pitching staff fares over the remaining schedule. For now, the signing offers Philadelphia a veteran option that is immediately available within the organization and eligible for postseason play should the team choose to use him.

Buehler’s signing is the latest development in a season that has tested the Phillies’ pitching depth and underscored the importance of experienced pitching in October. The club’s next steps will be closely watched as it attempts to convert a divisional lead into playoff seeding and position itself for a postseason run.