Red Sox pitcher Walker Buehler makes feelings clear on recent struggles amid uncertainty over future role 

Walker Buehler's tough stretch of form continued on Sunday as the Boston Red Sox pitcher earned four runs in 4.0 innings against the Toronto Blue Jays. Boston lost 5-3 and pushed themselves 3.0 games behind the .500 PCT with a 41-44 record.

Buehler gave up two solo home runs in the first innings to Addison Barger and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Later in the fourth innings, with the game tied at 2-2, Buehler gave up a two outs RBI single to Andres Gimenez before giving up two consecutive walks, the second of which was with bases loaded, giving the Blue Jays a 4-2 lead.

His team never recovered from there and he earned his sixth loss on the mound this season.

Walker Buehler has had a month of June to forget. In five starts for his team, the starter pitched 20.1 innings, earned 25 runs, 17 walks and seven home runs with 17 strikeouts for an 11.07 ERA. This includes a strong 7.0 innings 3-run outing against the Tampa Bay Rays but apart from that he has had nothing to show for.

Heading into the month, the 30-year-old had a 4.44 ERA in the season but that has plummeted to a 6.45 ERA. After the game, he made his feelings known about fighting to keep his place in the lineup.

“Yeah, I think I'm fighting for my spot in the game honestly,” Buehler said via MLB.com. “I think at some point, the way that I’ve thrown, there’s not a lot of places for 7 ERA starting pitchers in the big leagues. I don’t know what the next step is, and obviously I want to take the ball every fifth day and keep going and keep fighting."

Red Sox manager Alex Cora says Walker Buehler set to remain in rotation

After the game, when reporters asked Alex Cora about Buehler's status in the starting rotation, the skipper said there was no cause for change immediately.

However, he also pointed out the nature of the Red Sox pitching currently with several injuries that have narrowed down options:

“We’ve got a lot of people hurt, so we just have to get healthy."

Kutter Crawford has been ruled out from pitching in 2025, as he will require surgery for an off-field right wrist injury as his knee problems have persisted. Young right-handed Hunter Dobbins has also found himself on the 15-day Injured List due to elbow soreness. Meanwhile, Tanner Houck has had a tough rehab process, earning four runs in 3.2 innings in his latest call to the mound in Triple-A Worcester.

Walker Buehler will likely have to remain in the rotation and justify the one-year $21.05 million contract he signed with the club in the offseason.

Edited by Veer Badani