The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres starting a stretch of seven matchups over 10 days came with added intrigue Friday night as Walker Buehler took the mound at Petco Park.
Once jeered, if not hated, in that environment, Buehler was facing the Dodgers for only the second time in his career and first instance as a member of the Padres. He pitched 5.1 innings and limited the Dodgers to just one run, which scored when Yuki Matsui gave up a double to Freddie Freeman after inheriting a runner.
Following the 7-1 loss, Max Muncy credited Buehler for having a refined approach, according to Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group.
“His command was really good tonight,” Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said of his former teammate. “He was mixing his pitches – but he’s always done that. Just the way it looks, he’s a couple years removed from losing his velocity. That happens when you have injuries. I just think he’s learned how to navigate that.
“He’s a very smart pitcher. He always has been. I think it’s just took time for him to learn what his arsenal was and go from there.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who noted prior to first pitch he was certain Buehler had extra motivation against his former teammates, also spoke highly of the right-hnader.
“He’s reinventing himself,” Roberts said after the game. “He’s throwing the kitchen sink at you. Cutter, slider, changeup, two-seamers. He doesn’t just try to bully you, and he’s finding ways to just get guys out.”
Given that Buehler’s fastball velocity has decreased since having two Tommy John surgeries, he’s evolved over recent years to rely more heavily on his entire pitch mix.
Such was the case against the Dodgers, as the 31-year-old threw a heavy does of cutters and sliders, and incorporated changeups, sweepers, sinkers and knuckle curveballs. Buehler threw the fastball just 18 times out of 74 pitches, though it was his second-highest offering on the night.
Ahead of that were 23 cutters, and Buehler threw 10 each of his slider and changeup.
The outing capped off an impressive month of June in which Buehler will have pitched to a 1.71 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in five starts. Overall this season he’s now 5-3 with a 3.81 ERA across 16 starts.
Walker Buehler grateful for rookie season
When recently asked to look back on the impact he made with the Dodgers in 2018, Buehler detailed the confidence gained that year and how it helped in ensuing situations.
He memorably was entrusted by the Dodgers to start against the Colorado Rockies in Game 163 to decide the National League West, and of course Buehler went on to deliver in countless postseason moments. His lasting image with the Dodgers being closing out the 2024 World Series.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
