The San Diego Padres have added a familiar rival to their competition for a spot in the starting rotation, agreeing to terms on a minor league contract with former Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Buehler, 31, was once regarded as one of the premier pitchers in the National League. However, he has struggled to regain his previous form after undergoing a second Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for the entire 2023 season.
During the 2024 regular season, Buehler posted a 5.38 ERA across 16 starts, totaling 75⅓ innings, as he worked his way back from injury. Despite his difficulties in the regular season, he delivered a strong performance in the postseason. In Game 3 of the World Series, he threw five shutout innings, and in Game 5, he secured the final three outs of the Dodgers’ championship run by retiring all three batters he faced in the ninth inning.
He signed a one-year, $21.05 million deal with the Red Sox before the 2025 season but was released in August after posting a 5.45 ERA in 112⅓ innings over 22 starts and a relief appearance. He finished the season with the Phillies, allowing one run in 13⅔ innings over two starts and one relief appearance.
Buehler, who is 7-1 with a 1.67 ERA in 13 starts against the Padres, had a 3.02 ERA over his first six seasons (2017 through ‘22). Since returning from his August 2022 Tommy John procedure, he has lost velocity on his fastball and command. His strikeout rate has fallen from 27% to 17.2% while his walk rate has risen from 6.3% to 9.8%.
Buehler will join Matt Waldron, Triston McKenzie, Germán Márquez and left-handers JP Sears and Marco Gonzales in a battle for what is likely one available rotation spot.
