Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has developed a reputation for being reluctant to allow pitchers to pursue complete games, most notably with removing Ross Stripling, Rich Hill and Clayton Kershaw from respective bids at history. Walker Buehler, however, was given rope against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night.
Each of those cases had a unique circumstance that justified Roberts’ decision, and that also was the case when he removed Buehler from a no-hitter in May 2018. Buehler was making just the third start of the season and still faced an innings limit.
Buehler threw 93 pitches to get through six innings of what wound up being a combined no-hitter for the Dodgers. Nearly four years later there was no stopping the right-hander.
Buehler turned in a complete-game shutout against the Arizona Diamondbacks and after throwing eight innings, Roberts revealed the 27-year-old made it clear he was not going to be removed, via SportsNet LA:
“I thought once he got through the seventh inning, he didn’t labor, there was no stress, he had command of his entire itch mix, and i thought there was a good chance. After coming out in the eighth inning he said, ‘I’m not coming out of this game.’ I trust him and I believed him. … That was a fly-by, and I know Walker pretty well. He deserved it, he earned it, and it was fun to watch him pitch.”
Roberts also mentioned the start was the best he’s seen from Buehler in terms of overall pitching and command.
Buehler validated the trust he had from Roberts by making quick work of the Diamondbacks in the ninth inning, needing just 10 pitches to record the final three outs despite allowing a single to David Peralta. That was one of three base hits Buehler allowed on the night.
Walker Buehler complete game facts and stats
Buehler finished with a season-high 10 strikeouts in his first career complete-game shutout, and retired 16 of the final 17 batters faced. The complete game was Buehler’s third overall and the first in baseball this season.
Buehler additionally authored the Dodgers’ first shutout since Hyun-Jin Ryu on May 7, 2019, and he’s the team’s first pitcher with three or fewer hits allowed without giving up a run in a complete game since Kershaw on May 23, 2016.
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