Walker Freaking Buehler

He was the hero the Dodgers didn't know they needed

When the Dodgers had a comfortable 3-0 lead in the World Series, my girlfriend and I were having a pretty fun conversation. Who would you like to see on the mound in the ninth inning when the Dodgers win the World Series?

We were rattling off some names. We thought Blake Treinen would be the likely guy we’d see out there. Daniel Hudson would be cool because he’s already closed out one World Series in his career. Brent Honeywell was a name I threw out because I thought with his story, closing out a WS would be epic.

We went through every name on the roster. Well, almost every name. For good reason, we didn’t discuss the starting pitchers. Why would we?

Due to a crazy Game 5, Walker Buehler was the only realistic arm available for the Dodgers by the end of the game. Jack Flaherty was only able to record four outs, so Dave Roberts turned to all his high-leverage arms.

I was tweeting about this as it was happening in real time, but I had no idea what the Dodgers were going to do to finish the game. Landon Knack, Brent Honeywell, Ben Casparius and Daniel Hudson were essentially all down and Blake Treinen was coming out with two outs in the sixth inning.

There wasn’t anybody behind Treinen. He was it. Again, we’re still in the sixth inning. It seemed like Treinen would have to be the hero and get as many outs as possible. I forget at what point in the game it was, but there was a tweet saying Walker Buehler was getting loose in the bullpen.

Wait, what?!

Buehler just threw 76 pitches 48 hours ago. What do you mean he’s getting warm in the bullpen?

Well, the Dodgers didn’t have anyone left as I mentioned. They had three pitchers throw 40+ pitches the day before and another arm who barely had any juice left in the glass. It was essentially Buehler, or nothing.

Following the game, players were speaking to every media outlet out there so I can’t find the exact quote. But essentially, Buehler told Dave Roberts and the front office ahead of Game 5 that he would be available out of the bullpen if needed. With Flaherty starting and a fully rested bullpen, everyone probably laughed and said thanks for the offer but that won’t be necessary.

Turns out, Buehler was needed to potentially save the season.

He took the mound in the bottom of the ninth with a one-run lead. I mean, just think about if I would have told you this all the way back in the middle of the season. You wouldn’t have believed me. I wouldn’t have believed myself.

The guy with an ERA close to 6.00 would be our best bet at closing out a World Series?

Let’s actually take a trip down memory lane before we get to that final out.

2024 was a disaster for Buehler. I mean, truly a disaster. He missed nearly two years recovering from his second Tommy John surgery. After 23 months off, Buehler finally made his return to the Dodgers on May 6.

Buehler would go on to make eight starts with the Dodgers over the next six weeks. During that stretch, he posted a 5.84 ERA and 6.06 FIP. Opponents were hitting .301 off him with an OPS just below .900. To put it kindly, he was terrible.

Buehler was then “placed on the injured list” after his June 18 start in Colorado. I put that in quotations because Buehler wasn’t really hurt. The Dodgers just wanted to give him some time to work things out and hopefully return a better pitcher.

For the next two months, Buehler was pretty much off the grid. In July, Dave Roberts said that Buehler wasn’t even with the team in their Arizona or minor league facilities but is in a private complex in Florida.

Whatever was going on, Buehler needed to be doing it away from the organization, apparently.

He finally returned to the mound on August 14, nearly two months to the date of his last start. Buehler finished his season by making eight starts. His season was essentially split into two. Eight starts in the first half and eight starts in the second half.

His numbers improved in the second half, though that wasn’t that hard to do considering how bad he was earlier in the season. Over his final eight starts, Buehler posted a 4.93 ERA and 5.05 FIP. Opponents hit .277 off him with an OPS of .831.

When you combine his first half and second half, Buehler finished his 2024 campaign with a 5.38 ERA, 5.54 FIP and 1.55 WHIP. Just truly terrible numbers. Among pitchers that threw 75+ innings in 2024, he was one of the worst.

The craziest part about Buehler’s 2024 postseason run was the fact he likely doesn’t even make the roster if everyone is healthy. Tyler Glasnow, Gavin Stone and Clayton Kershaw were all ruled out for the postseason. If those guys are healthy, Buehler had probably thrown his last pitch with the Dodgers.

Following the World Series, Buehler said on SNLA he thought he was going to be released by the end of the season.

Instead, Buehler was needed to be LA’s No. 3 starter in October.

As you all remember, his first start in San Diego for the NLDS was a disaster. He allowed six runs on seven hits but it was all because his defense failed him. If the Dodgers play just decent defense in that second inning, his outing looks a whole lot better. Well, despite that horrific second inning, Buehler finished his outing by tossing three scoreless innings. He carried that over for the rest of his postseason.

Buehler’s next start came in Game 3 of the NLCS. With the series tied at one game a piece, Buehler tossed four scoreless innings. He allowed only three hits and struck out six. It wasn’t a pretty start, but Buehler limited the damage. Going back to the NLDS, his scoreless innings streak was now at seven innings.

That was the only start needed from Buehler that series, as his next start came 12 days later in the World Series. Getting the start in Game 3, Buehler was even better, as he gave the Dodgers five scoreless innings, extending his streak to 12 scoreless innings. He allowed only two hits and struck out five.

With his outing, he helped give the Dodgers a commanding 3-0 series lead. It looked like that might have been Buehler’s final time on the mound as a Dodger. The only way we’d see him pitch again would be in a potential Game 7, if the series somehow got there.

Instead, fast forward 48 hours and Buehler would be needed a final time.

This move was a risk, but the Dodgers had no other choice. By using Buehler, they were risking not having him available for a potential Game 7. The Dodgers were putting all of their eggs into one basket. Considering a World Series was on the line, you had to.

For Buehler, this wasn’t his first time coming out of the bullpen. He did it a handful of times during his rookie season back in 2017. However, this was his first save opportunity.

At this point in the game, I was hoping for two outcomes. Either a quick win or a quick loss. I did not want this game going to extra innings because the ramifications on the Dodgers’ bullpen could have been massive. Either finish this one or send it back home to LA for Game 6 while not throwing too many pitches.

Buehler retired the first batter on five pitches. Austin Wells then worked the count full on Buehler. Had he gotten on, the go-ahead run would have stepped into the batters box. Instead, Buehler gave him a filthy knuckle-curve that Wells swung and missed at.

One batter away.

Alex Verdugo stepped into the box. Kind of fitting, considering he was the center piece in the Mookie Betts trade from years ago. He also came out and said the 2020 championship isn’t a real one, basically, because they didn’t play a full season.

After starting the count with a ball, Buehler got him to swing at three straight pitches, including another knuckle-curve to win it.

48 hours after throwing 76 pitches in a scoreless start, Walker Buehler just recorded his first career save to win the World Series for the Dodgers.

A guy that wouldn’t have been on the roster if everyone was healthy. A guy who thought was going to be released later in the season by the Dodgers. This was who closed it out for the Dodgers and gave them their eighth championship.

I owe him an apology. In August I thought that he had made his last start of his career with the Dodgers. With the team in a playoff race, I thought he shouldn’t continue to be allowed to make starts for the team. It seemed like every time he was sent out to the mound he was losing LA the game.

Well, the Dodgers stuck with him. They kept him in the rotation. They gave him those reps. It’s a good thing they did because the Dodgers wouldn’t have won the World Series without Buehler.

Even if you include this year, Buehler had already cemented himself as one of the best Dodgers pitchers of our generation. Despite a rough 2024, he had likely earned a spot in the “Legends of Dodgers Baseball” decades from now. After his performance this postseason, you can rank him even higher among the Dodgers greats.

If you would have asked me months ago if I would have wanted Buehler back, it would have been an easy no. Now, there’s no way you can let this man leave. He loves being a Dodger. He’s been pretty vocal about it these last few weeks. It also doesn’t matter what his production looks like during the regular season, this man is going to deliver for you in October.

I’m not sure what his market is going to look like this offseason, but hopefully the Dodgers can work something out with him and bring him back.

The Dodgers’ World Series championship was a true team effort. All 26 players on the roster helped them along the way. I got no problem in saying that without Walker Buehler, the Dodgers likely don’t win the World Series.

I’ll just leave you with this.

WALKER F***ING BUEHLER!!!!