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Former Dodgers ace Walker Buehler has found a new opportunity with the Padres.
There was a time when Walker Buehler anchored the Dodgers‘ rotation. The former first-rounder emerged as a key rotation arm and led Los Angeles to a World Series title in 2020.
The right-hander is back in the National League West, this time with one of the Dodgers’ rivals. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the San Diego Padres have agreed to a minor league deal with Buehler.
The two Southern California teams have developed a bit of a rivalry of late. The Padres knocked out the Dodgers in the 2022 NLDS, although the rivalry has swung Los Angeles’ way of late. Since that series loss, the Dodgers have won back-to-back championships and are looking for the first three-peat in 26 seasons.
The final spot of the Padres’ rotation is up for grabs, with Buehler being one of the candidates. That spot was opened up by the sudden but soft retirement of another former Dodger, Yu Darvish. The two pitchers were teammates in 2017.
Should Buehler crack the Padres’ rotation, it should create a fun storyline the next time he comes to Los Angeles. He faced the Dodgers at Fenway Park last July, but his next appearance in Dodger Stadium will be his first as an opponent.
Walker Buehler’s Tenure in Los Angeles
The Dodgers took a flyer on Buehler, selecting him with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft. The right-hander was recovering from Tommy John surgery at the time.
It ended up being a shrewd pickup. From 2018 to 2021, Buehler was a reliable rotation arm behind Clayton Kershaw. Over that stretch, he pitched to a 2.82 ERA over 564 innings. That ranked as the fourth-best ERA in the major leagues, behind Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, and Justin Verlander.
His best season came in 2021, when he led the Dodgers with 33 starts. He posted a career-best 2.47 ERA over 207.2 innings. His 171 ERA+ led all major league starters.
However, Buehler’s career would never be the same after that. He initially underwent surgery to repair bone spurs in his elbow, but would later need flexor tendon surgery. That kept him out for the entire 2023 season.
Buehler came back to the Dodgers in 2024, but he was not the same. With a rotation struggling with injuries, he limped out to a 5.38 ERA over 16 starts. But a frustrating season ended with the ultimate glory.
Tasked with getting the final three outs of a Dodgers championship, the right-hander did just that. Buehler punctuated his outing by striking out another former Dodger, Alex Verdugo, to clinch a second championship in five seasons. That would ultimately be Buehler’s last moment in Los Angeles, as he rejected a qualifying offer and signed a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox.
Walker Buehler’s Career Since Leaving the Dodgers
After leaving the Dodgers, Buehler’s struggles continued. He posted a 5.45 ERA in 22 starts with the Red Sox before getting released. He later signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, getting three more appearances in before the season ended. He won all three games, two of them starts, allowing just one run in 13.2 innings.
Buehler was on the Phillies’ NLDS roster against the Dodgers as a reliever, but the right-hander did not appear in a single game. Los Angeles cruised to a series win in four games before going on to win their second consecutive championship.
Buehler is hoping a return to Southern California is exactly what he needs to revive his once illustrious career.
Michael McDermott Michael McDermott is a writer at Heavy Sports covering the Arizona Diamondbacks and Major League Baseball. Michael has 10 years experience writing about the D-backs and their farm system for AZ Snake Pit, Burn City Sports, and Diamondbacks On SI. More about Michael McDermott
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