Walker Buehler signed a minor league deal with an invite to big league camp in February and earned a spot on the Padres roster out of spring training. An ace with the Dodgers — who selected him with the 24th overall pick in 2015 — Buehler spent seven seasons with Los Angeles, earning two World Series championships and two All-Star selections along the way.
The Kentucky native won the College World Series with Vanderbilt in 2014. He underwent his first Tommy John surgery in 2015 and his second in 2022 and has been working to regain his performance since.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
The Pirates drafted you out of high school in the 14th round, but you went to Vanderbilt instead. What was behind that decision, and was it tough at the time?
A: The agreement — or could-have-been agreement with Pittsburgh — wasn’t a very tough decision, but the whole process was. (The year) 2012 was the first year of the slotting system in the new draft. Everything kind of changed, and guys were going in places that we didn’t think (they would) and were taking less money or waiting for more money; things like that. So it was a little bit hazy in terms of the draft. I had an agreement with the Padres, actually, at Pick 55, but they selected another guy who had the first name as me (Walker Weickel). So we had the whole house — everyone was all excited, going crazy, and then they said his last name and it went a little bit quiet. But no, my three years at Vanderbilt were very successful from a lot of different perspectives. On the field, we were really good, and I think you learn a lot about yourself the first time you’re tested. And luckily, you get tested hard at a school like that, but also, there’s people to support you. I think it’s definitely been part of my journey into where I am today — I hate that phrase so much — but you know, to what I’m doing now. I don’t know if I would have quite made it the way that I feel like I have without going there.
You pitched seven scoreless innings in Game 3 of the 2018 World Series. You were still hitting 98 mph in the seventh. What stands out to you about that version of Walker Buehler?
A: That was about 20 pounds ago, probably. Just a little kid from Kentucky trying to figure it out and playing in the big city and all that kind of stuff. In L.A. at that time, there were a lot of veteran players — Justin Turner, (Clayton Kershaw), Chase Utley. We had a really, really interesting team. Manny (Machado) was on that team. I’ve known him a lot longer than people kind of remember. But just a really cool time, and a few games down the stretch there that kind of give you confidence. If you can do it in the playoffs or in a World Series game, you feel a little bit more confident the next year. At that time, I probably didn’t really need (that confidence), but I think it probably served me pretty well.
Your friendship with Manny preceded your joining the Padres. Was that just from his short stint with the Dodgers?
A: Yeah, that was the only time. We didn’t know each other before that. Obviously, it was a big deal when we traded for him … (and) he and I have always kind of kept up. It’s kind of funny; the rivalry is a real thing, and the games I pitched against the Padres over the years, Manny and I always have a little smirk for each other and stuff like that throughout those. I don’t think everyone loves that. But at the end of the day, he and I have been pretty good buddies. And he was great to me at that time. That’s been a fun little inroad in the rivalry.
Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler (21) and catcher Will Smith begin to celebrate after Buehler struck out the New York Yankees’ Alex Verdugo, left, for the final out of their 7-6 victory in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series last October at Yankee Stadium. The ball is going up for auction to benefit L.A. wildfire recovery efforts. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
You got the final three outs of the 2024 World Series. It was your first career save, and it was for a championship. For all of us who will never know what a moment like that feels like, can you describe it?
A: I think the biggest part is that I’d walked out to the bullpen probably three or four times in my career in those kinds of scenarios. Padre fans don’t love it, but Clayton (Kershaw) was a huge influence on me, and he’s done that in a lot of spots and done that for years. In 2020, when we won, you can see me and Clayton both running out of the bullpen. So we’ve been out there. You never really think it’s gonna happen. Kind of jokingly, I told him, ‘If this game gets really weird, I’ll go out there,’ and that game got weird, and I was out there. It was pretty cool.
That year was not great for you. You had a 5.38 ERA in the regular season, you missed time because of injuries, you were coming back from your second Tommy John surgery. The Padres tagged you for six runs in the NLDS. How were you able to meet those moments in the NLCS and World Series?
A: I’ve always loved pitching in the playoffs. At the time that I came up in L.A., that was kind of the thing that we were missing, right? We had been really successful. In the middle of those years, San Diego was running with us, and San Francisco beat us in the division once. So, some of that (success) had faded, and it was kind of: World Series, put up (or) shut up. I’ve just always enjoyed the playoffs. I think one of the biggest things is that game (against the Padres) was really tough for me for a few days. We didn’t know what was going to happen. I thought that was going to be my last outing as a Dodger — the team that drafted me and all that. Luckily, I got two or three more good games after that and got to raise another trophy.
Your first Tommy John surgery went as planned, but the recovery from your second one in 2022 has been much more challenging. What’s that been like?
A: I’ve never really talked about it publicly, but I tried to throw some rehab games at the end of 2023 in Triple-A. I threw one game and actually tore the teres major (muscle) off my bone warming up for the game. (We had) thought I was going to be back for the playoffs that year. Everything was going pretty good. And then that offseason, (I went) home and just struggled. I think for the first time in a long time, I was really struggling with the performance stuff, but also, like, the “want” to play. You go through a couple years of that, and then two or three years of still struggling — I think I’m in a lot better place with it now — but you rehab for 12, 15, 18 months, and then you get hurt again, whether it’s kind of a minor thing or another major thing, and it’s hard to want to keep going. So, it was disappointing in ‘24. I really thought we were going to come back and be successful and it was going to be what it always had been, and it just wasn’t. Luckily, I got some stuff physically in order. Took some time with my wife and daughter, went to Florida and got my hip a little bit healed up. We were able to put together a couple good weeks and close that (season) out. I think it was nice, at least for me personally, to have a nice bow on the end of my time in L.A. But obviously now we’re trying to beat them.
I believe the Dodgers made you a competitive offer to stay last year. Why did you decide it was time to leave the only organization you’ve known and sign with the Red Sox?
A: There’s some interesting stuff on the business side of our game that is kind of hard to explain. The qualifying offer was something that was in play, and their offer was very similar to it, but not quite there. And some of the reasoning behind that, at least what I thought it was — maybe it was true, maybe it wasn’t — but their offer included a physical (where) they wanted to look at my hip. I just thought we were at a point where we would have conversations on the phone and not through agents if that was the thing. I hold no ill will about it. I got to go and experience a lot last year and play for two great organizations, and now end up here. I would love to be a guy that played for an organization his whole career and all that stuff, but I think given the way (the Dodgers) are spending money and the way they’re doing things, honestly, I wasn’t in a spot competitively to think that I would make a team or for sure have the role that I had always had. I think at the end of the day, it was just kind of time for me to move on. I can’t say that watching them win a World Series last year was the easiest thing for me, but personally, I’ve grown a lot in the past few years just because things haven’t been as easy as they always had been. I think I probably wouldn’t change a thing.
Walker Buehler #10 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning at Petco Park on Friday, April 10, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Where do you think you’ve matured the most since you debuted in 2017?
A: Getting married, I think, was probably the biggest thing. And getting hurt again is a learning experience all on itself. I think having a couple years that I haven’t been very successful have been huge. And then having my daughter … having Finley in our lives has changed everything for us.
You and Ruben Niebla continue to learn about one another. You’ve got opinions, he’s got opinions. What are those conversations like, and why is it important to you to have a strong voice?
A: On the personality stuff, I’m an acquired taste. I understand that I can be very rough or gruff — or whatever you want to say — early on, and that’s just kind of how I am. That’s how I’ve known how to relate to people my whole life. That’s not everybody’s cup of tea. Some guys push back, and whatever right I have to be who I am, they do too as well. But he and I have started to get some rapport that way and have some fun together. A big thing for me on the performance side is, the more we can talk through these things — I really believe in distilling these ideas down. You know, ‘Oh, I want your hip to work this way.’ Well, how many different ways can we explain it to me that I can pick which one either happens earlier or happens more consistently, or whatever. I’m really happy that he’s been open to coaching me that way and helping. Things have kind of turned for the better recently.
Yes, things have been trending up for you. What’s been working?
A: I think health is first and foremost. My elbow has not been in a good place for the past two years. This offseason, I kind of did some wonky stuff. I got a tooth removed that a (chiropractor) in (Cincinnati) explained to me is a “shoulder-and-elbow-related” tooth. I had a bad root canal that they went and took out. I did some alternative treatment stuff on it. We moved to Arizona. I got in a little bit better shape. So some combination of all that stuff, I think kind of led to — epiphany is not the right word, but I had one day where I woke up and my elbow just felt a lot better, and kind of been riding that wave for a while. I think the ability to experiment and do things that Ruben and I have wanted to do; when you’re in pain, you can’t really do that stuff. So the ability to do that — to throw consistently, lift the way I want to, lift my upper body the way I want to, I think has all kind of contributed to it. And we’ve made some pretty significant jumps in terms of velocity. But really, confidence, I think, is the biggest thing. When you look up and you know you’re throwing 5 mph slower than the next guy, I think it’s a little bit tough, especially when you were the other guy for a long time. So kind of becoming more comfortable and OK being 91, 94 (mph) probably allowed me to start throwing the ball a little bit harder in some weird way.
You and your wife, McKenzie, put on a charity golf outing annually through the Buehler Family Foundation. Why did you start this?
A: After my rookie year, we started doing it, so every year I’ve been in the big leagues, we’ve done it. We’ve (helped) some different causes …. we ended up forming our own foundation to support first responders. We’ve started in Lexington (Ky.). We try and get them stuff to help them treat themselves like athletes. I think people kind of underestimate what these folks go through. We donated a bunch of Normatec (compression boots) and massage guns, and we’re working on some ellipticals. Stuff like that. We want these guys to be in shape. You know, police, firemen, it’s become a political thing, and that’s not where I’m at. That’s not what I care about. I want them to be able to do their jobs, because if my house lights on fire, I want them to run in there, quick. I think everyone else does as well. So we’ve enjoyed that, and I’m getting to know a lot of these guys. There’s not many better people.
Walker Buehler #10 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park on March 30, 2026 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
You’ve got an impressive Nike collection. How many pairs do you have and how many do you actually wear?
A: I wear a lot of them. I don’t really save a ton. I’ve been with Nike my whole career, so there’s certain perks that come with that. I cleared out 180 pairs last year that we got rid of and that was probably about a third of what we’ve got in there. I wear them, I give them away. Getting to design my cleats for a few years was a cool thing for me, growing up loving shoes.
Do you have a favorite pair?
A: I did some cleats in 2022 that I got to design. I got a backward swoosh on the cleat, kind of like a Travis Scott look. Those were pretty cool. There’s just not been many guys that they did the backward swoosh for, and somehow I got that approved at the time. Those are probably the coolest ones.
You own part of a racehorse, don’t you?
A: Yeah. I’ve done a lot of work with this company called MyRacehorse. My sister-in-law works for them as well, but they do this thing called microsharing, which is a cool way to get into the sport. I owned, I think it was 5/1000 of 1% of a horse named Authentic. He won the (Kentucky) Derby in 2020 and the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and (that same year) we won a World Series, so it was kind of a cool deal. We have one horse that’s running now. His name is March of Time. I own a little bit more than that of him. I was very fortunate growing up being able to go to the races and got into it early. I got to meet (trainer) Bob Baffert in 2019, and he and I have developed a pretty cool friendship, and playing with (Alex) Bregman last year, he’s really into it.
You’re excellent at crossword puzzles. Are you the best in the clubhouse?
A: I think I’m in the conversation. A lot of guys do them on this team; maybe not quite as competitively (as me). I kind of get mad at the crossword and try and beat it as fast I can. But guys do a good job with them here. I think I’m probably in that top three conversation.
Do you ever get tired of the “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” references, or have you fully embraced it?
A: I’ve kind of embraced it. We used to have Players’ Weekend — I wish they would bring that back, where we could put our nickname (on our jersey) …
You guys have a CBA coming up. Maybe you could get that back.
A: I’m not the union rep anymore. I put in my time with that. But no, I had Ferris on the jersey at one point. I’ve sat kind of in that area (from the movie) at a Cubs game, which was kind of funny. If you do some digging, there is a picture of my wife and I dressed up as Ferris and Sloane for Halloween one year.
Peoria, AZ – February 18: Walker Buehler #10 of the San Diego Padres poses for a portrait on February 18, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
What do you think of San Diego?
A: I like it. It’s a lot closer to home than L.A. is, certainly. The tempo of life here — and where we live — is certainly a lot more like we’re used to. And the military presence and stuff like that is a little bit more similar to home for us. We’ve enjoyed it a lot so far.
What do you still want to achieve in this game?
A: Bringing a championship to San Diego would be incredible.