Walker Buehler’s big return to the mound for the Boston Red Sox didn’t go as planned, but it wasn’t for lack of stuff. In his first start since battling shoulder bursitis, Buehler was dealing—2.1 innings, no hits, four strikeouts, and just two walks—before a fiery moment cut his night short in a 2-0 win over the New York Mets at Fenway Park on Tuesday. The spark? A third-inning pitch he swore was a strike but got called a ball by umpire Mike Estabrook. Instead of shaking it off, Buehler charged toward home plate to argue, earning a quick ejection. Manager Alex Cora followed, backing his pitcher and getting tossed himself. Just like that, a promising comeback turned into a frustrating early exit.
Buehler owned it afterward, showing the kind of accountability you’d expect from a veteran. “I’ve been in this league too long for that to happen,” he said postgame. “You feel very convicted in what you saw, but this is a team game, and I let it get out of hand. That’s the disappointing part.” He didn’t point fingers at Estabrook, adding, “I’m not gonna talk about what he did or didn’t do… At the end of the day, putting our team in that position is the only thing I really regret.” That’s a stand-up move from a guy who’s been through too many battles to play the blame game.
The ejection forced the Red Sox bullpen to step up, and they delivered big time. Despite heavy lifting in Monday’s 3-1 win, six relievers combined to shut out the Mets, holding them to just four hits. That’s the kind of grit that keeps Boston in the hunt. At the plate, the Sox didn’t need much—just two swings. Carlos Narváez and Rafael Devers went deep with solo homers in the fifth, giving the pen all the cushion they needed to lock it down.
This win sets up a chance to take the series at Fenway on Wednesday, and you can bet Buehler’s itching to get back out there and finish what he started. His stuff looked sharp before the meltdown—per the game data, he was perfect through 2.1 innings with a 0.00 ERA for the night. If he can keep that form and his cool, he’s a weapon for a Red Sox team eyeing a deep October run. For now, it’s about channeling that fire and letting the bats and bullpen keep the good vibes going. Boston’s got momentum—let’s see if they can close it out.
