Walker Buehler threw the final pitch of the 2024 season, closing out the Dodgers’ victory over the Yankees in the World Series at Yankee Stadium.

There’s a chance his next pitch will be in the same ballpark in a Yankees uniform.

The Yankees and the free agent right-hander have “some mutual interest” in each other, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner recently mentioned that the Yankees would prioritize pitch this winter. The Juan Soto draw are at the top of their list, but strengthening the starting rotation and adding to the back of the bullpen is still a must.

“I don’t think you can ever have enough pitches,” Steinbrenner said. “We’re going to dive deep into the starting rotation, into the bullpen.”

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Buehler returned from his second Tommy John surgery in 2024, throwing poorly in the regular season. He posted a career-worst 5.38 ERA with a 1-6 record in 75 1/3 innings.

Those struggles continued in Buehler’s first postseason outing. He allowed six earned runs in five innings in a loss to the Padres in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, putting Los Angeles on the brink of elimination.

But Buehler finished his season on a high note, to say the least, with multiple clutch performances. He shut down the Mets for four innings in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, pitched five scoreless in Game 3 of the World Series, then shut the door with a scoreless inning – and a stoppage – in Game 5 two days later. little rest.

The Yankees could gamble on Buehler’s potential — he’s just a few years away from a fourth-place finish in the NL Cy Young Award race with LA — and sign him to a short-term deal. An alternative would be more expensive and require more commitment, investing big in a top starter in free agency like Corbin Burnes or Blake Snell.

Buehler, 30, has been battle-tested in his years with the Dodgers and could be on track for a strong bounce-back season, distancing himself from his elbow surgery while working with the Yankees’ esteemed pitching department. They could offer Buehler a short-term deal with incentives, giving him a chance to earn more based on his performance. There is, however, an obvious risk in signing a pitcher who has already undergone Tommy John surgery twice.

Currently, the Yankees have six starting pitchers, a surplus that was evident last month during their World Series run. Ace Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil, who won the American League Rookie of the Year Awardfigures to be stuck in the rotation next spring. Nestor Cortes and Marcus Stroman are also under contract.