Coming off a first career All-Star season, many were anointing Walker Buehler the new ace of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitching staff. Buehler’s continued ascension came at the same time Clayton Kershaw faced a decline in velocity and questions about his viability moving forward.
Buehler regularly deflected such status in the rotation and said he couldn’t take the mantle until Kershaw had retired. Regardless of public perception, the right-hander at minimum formed a dominant duo with the three-time Cy Young Award winner.
Though, the 2020 season was hardly smooth sailing for Buehler. He again was slow to build up during Spring Training and that spilled into Summer Camp. It later was revealed Buehler elected to stop throwing for a period of time during MLB’s shutdown phase.
That led to not only finding a rhythm with each start during the regular season but also Buehler experiencing blisters for the first time. He twice was placed on the 10-day injured list and continued to be bothered by them throughout the Dodgers’ World Series run.
Buehler finished the regular season 1-0 with a 3.44 ERA, 4.36 FIP and 0.96 WHIP over eight starts. He never logged more than six innings in any outing, and didn’t pitch more than five in his three starts during September.
Despite having to closely manage his blisters, the Dodgers started Buehler in Game 1 of the Wild Card round, National League Division Series and NL Championship Series. His final playoff start was in Game 3 of the World Series.
Buehler remained somewhat limited by the blisters but did have at least six strikeouts in every postseason game and finished off his impressive performance by going six innings in each of the last two starts.
The 26-year-old was particularly effective from the NLCS through the World Series, allowing a combined two earned runs and striking out 26 batters across 17 innings in three starts. Included in that was a heroic effort against the Atlanta Braves in Game 6 of the NLCS.
2020 highlight
Buehler had 11 strikeouts and allowed just one run over six innings of work against the Colorado Rockies during the regular season, but it’s difficult to say any performance was better than his second start against the Braves in the NLCS.
With the Dodgers still needing another victory to force winner-take-all Game 7, Buehler was given another opportunity to live up to a well-earned reputation as a big-game pitcher.
He did allow seven hits but got through six shutout innings, which included dramatically working out of a bases-loaded jam behind three consecutive strikeouts.
2021 outlook
Whether the ace or not, Buehler again will be part of a rotation that he helps lead alongside Kershaw. They could receive help from David Price, who has given indications he will re-join the team for the 2021 season.
Should Buehler manage to shake free from blisters and remain healthy, he conceivably will be in the running for the NL Cy Young Award.
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