Dodgers’ Walker Buehler on Pitching in Big Games: ‘It’s Everything to Me’
Since coming up to the big leagues, starting pitcher Walker Buehler has been one of the more reliable members of the Dodgers pitching staff. Injuries have taken a hit on his career in recent seasons, but Buehler made his way back this year to show he still has a lot left in the tank.
While it was an up-and-down year for the right-hander, Buehler battled through adversity all year long in different moments. But when the Dodgers needed him most in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, he delivered.
Buehler shut down the New York Mets offense over four innings of work. Entering the game, multiple members of the team spoke about how they trusted nobody more than Buehler in this big game situation. The veteran showed up to prove them right.
Buehler spoke after the game about what pitching in moments like this means to him.
“Yeah, it’s everything to me,” Buehler said. We talked about it before the San Diego start, the big games or me being in big games, that’s literally all I care about.”
Buehler has been known as one of the more clutch pitchers in all of baseball before suffering his injuries. His nonchalant attitude on the mound gives him the ability to work through tough situations and be the big-game pitcher that the league has come to know him as.
Dodgers infielder Max Muncy credited Buehler once the game was over, echoing a similar thought about the pitcher.
“Walker was Walker Buehler. It’s what we expected. It’s what everyone in this clubhouse trusted him to be,” Muncy said. “He thrives in these moments. There’s never a moment that gets too big for him. There’s never a situation that gets too big for him. He’s able to control everything. He was Walker Buehler tonight.”
Utility man Kiké Hernández also weighed in on Buehler, giving him much praise after his start.
“There are certain players that like the spotlight, that like playing in October,” Kiké Hernández said. “And those guys, I mean, I can attest to that. It doesn’t matter what the regular season looks like. When this comes, we start over. We start at zero and we do it one game at a time. … And this guy has proven year after year that when there’s a big game and the Dodgers need a win, he’s the right guy to be on the mound.”
If the Mets force a Game 7, Buehler will likely get the start on short rest. However, the hope is that the Dodgers wrap up the NLCS Sunday night.
Photo Credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
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