Dodgers’ Walker Buehler Has Never Pitched at Yankee Stadium Ahead of Game 3 of World Series
If Walker Buehler has proven anything this postseason, he can perform under the bright lights and added pressure of starting on the road.
Monday night might be Game 3 of the World Series, but it isn’t something he can’t handle, even if it is his first time pitching at Yankee Stadium.
It happens to be the third World Series start of his career, all with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he has only started in Game 3 over his career.
“I’ve never thrown any game other than Game 3 in the World Series, so I’m kind of familiar that way a little bit,” Buehler said Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. “Obviously we were here earlier in the year, but I didn’t throw. I’ve never thrown here, so that will be exciting.
“And Game 3 of the World Series, it doesn’t get more exciting than that.”
Buehler is 1-0 with an ERA of 0.69 and 17 strikeouts in two appearances in the World Series in his career. His first start came against the Boston Red Sox back in 2018. He gave up two hits and no runs while striking out seven in seven innings.
His next World Series appearance was in 2020 against the Tampa Bay Rays and he allowed one earned run on three hits in six innings while striking out 10.
Buehler faces a high standard as he takes the mound. In Game 2, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was stellar, giving up just one run on a single hit over 6.1 innings. The night before, Jack Flaherty set the tone with a strong outing, allowing only two earned runs across 5.1 innings.
He studied both starts and feels confident in his plan against the Yankees.
“All three of us being right-handed certainly helps,” Buehler said. “At the end of the day, it’s kind of weaving what we do well against what they don’t do so well. I think both those guys did a really good job of going to their strengths when they needed to.”
This is a new matchup for Yankees hitters as well because Buehler didn’t appear in the regular season series but if he is going to have any type of advantage, he’s hoping the weather tilts in his favor.
Buehler has a secret weapon in mind for his next start at Yankee Stadium: the cold.
The Dodgers’ right-hander hasn’t had his best season, but in Game 3 of the NLCS against the Mets, he was surprisingly effective in a short outing—and the brisk weather might have been the key.
“I think the weather and the stadium has something to do with it,” Buehler said Sunday, referring to the movement on his pitches. “I said before that game [at Citi Field], I like pitching in the cold, so I am hoping it gets down there a little bit [Monday].”
As of Monday morning, the temperature in New York should be around 53 degrees at first pitch and continue to drop throughout the night.
Photo Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
