The Los Angeles Dodgers had the option to bring back Walker Buehler this offseason, but they chose not to, leaving fans wondering what might have been.

Los Angeles could have extended Buehler a qualifying offer of $21.05 million for one year, but they didn’t — and the Boston Red Sox essentially did. by giving him that exact offer.

Not to make matters worse for Dodgers fans, but Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic previously reported that Buehler probably would have accepted the offer if the Dodgers had given him one.

“The qualifying offer would have damaged Buehler in the market, leaving him with almost no choice but to accept. The Dodgers, as a team that will pay the luxury tax, only would have received a pick after the fourth round if he rejected.

This way, Buehler can negotiate a multiyear deal with the team of his choosing. Conceivably, that team could be the Dodgers. But other teams might value Buehler more.”

If the Dodgers had offered Buehler a one-year deal worth $21.05 million, including the loss of draft pick compensation for a team that signed him, it’s likely that other interested teams would have been less inclined to pursue him.

By not extending that offer, the Dodgers allowed Buehler more financial flexibility and the freedom to explore opportunities elsewhere.

The situation with Buehler is full of “could have, would have, and should have,” but the fact of the matter is that he is no longer with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the first time in his professional career.