Red Sox Bats Come Alive in Win Over Cardinals, but Walker Buehler Still Searching for Rhythm

The Boston Red Sox brought the fireworks on Friday night at Fenway Park, putting up a season-high 13 runs in a thrilling 13-9 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. With the victory, the Sox move to 4-4 on the young 2025 MLB season—a record that could easily be worse if not for their red-hot offense.

Boston wasted no time jumping on the Cardinals, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first inning to grab an early lead. That gave starting pitcher Walker Buehler some breathing room, but the right-hander struggled to hold it.

Buehler, who is still finding his footing in a Red Sox uniform, gave up a three-run home run to Iván Herrera in the fourth inning and a solo shot to Brendan Donovan in the fifth. He exited after five innings, finishing his outing with five earned runs on seven hits and recording four strikeouts.

This was Buehler’s second start since joining the Red Sox after a long stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In his debut last week against the Texas Rangers, he allowed four earned runs in just 4.1 innings. It’s been a rocky beginning to his Boston tenure, something Buehler himself acknowledged after Friday’s game.

“It’s frustrating, to say the least,” he told reporters, including Boston.com’s John Tlumacki. “You come into a new team, and whatever pedigree I have, I want to show that. I want to be that guy here. I want to help this team win.”

Buehler admitted that his early-season performances haven’t lived up to his own expectations, but he remains optimistic.

“To not do that the first two weeks is frustrating, but it’s a long season,” he said. “I’ve definitely struggled before, and I’ll struggle again. I want to have the highs to go along with it.”

The Red Sox, meanwhile, are showing signs of life offensively. Despite Buehler’s struggles, the lineup has been delivering in a big way. On Friday, they piled up hits and runs, with contributions from up and down the batting order.

Boston fans have reason to be hopeful. The team is holding its own in a tough American League East, and if Buehler can regain his form and settle into a groove, the Red Sox could become a serious threat as the season progresses.

For now, the bats are hot, and that’s enough to keep the Red Sox moving forward—even as they wait for their newest arm to find his stride.