Over the past several years the Los Angeles Dodgers have made a concerted effort to keeping certain prospects out of trades as they anticipated the players making an impact at the Major League level.
That group includes Walker Buehler, the Dodgers’ first-round selection from the 2015 MLB Draft. The start of his professional career was delayed as Buehler underwent Tommy John surgery soon after being taken with the No. 24 overall pick.
Buehler’s MLB debut came in 2017, when he appeared in eight games out of the bullpen. He was a member of the Dodgers’ starting rotation the following year and placed third in National League Rookie of the Year voting, and assumed a full-time role this past season.
Buehler’s ascension, coupled with Clayton Kershaw no longer being at his peak, has led to the young right-hander taking over as the team’s ace. Buehler’s talent figures to make him the type of pitcher the Dodgers would desire to secure long-term.
Though he has not yet reached the stage of being eligible for salary arbitration, Buehler said he would be willing to discuss a contract extension with the Dodgers, via MLB Network Radio:
“I don’t know. I think every one of those cases is different and every front office is going to approach it differently. We haven’t had those conversations, but I’m never opposed to having a conversation. I just don’t know if it’s right for me or right for them at the time.
“Obviously the way our front office kind of operates with creating a lot of flexibility within our roster, going and getting guys that we think are going to help us, if that’s a conversation they want to have, I’ll be open. And if it’s not, it’s all good. That’s why the system is the way it is.”
While players most often play through their arbitration years in order to reach free agency, the Atlanta Braves made headlines in April by agreeing to contract extensions with Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has not carry forward with the same strategy, though it’s also not one he’s applied. Previously speaking in general terms, Friedman said he would be open to discussing contract extensions with the likes of Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager.
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