Dodgers: Why Walker Buehler Can Erase His September Flame Out in SF
Walker Buehler’s last start in San Francisco was nothing short of a disaster, but his history shows he’s a different pitcher in the playoffs.
Buehler’s October intensity and experience could help him wipe away his worst start of the 2021 regular season. He’ll get his chance on Friday when he takes the mound for Game 1 of the NLDS in San Francisco.
Undoubtedly, his line from September 5th will be rattled off during the broadcast. It should be, it was bad. Really bad.
Six earned runs on seven hits with a lone strikeout in just three innings of work.
That was then, this is now.
And now it’s October.
In his last two postseasons combined, seven starts total, Buehler has a 1.43 ERA. More importantly, he dominated in his last two October starts – Game 6 of the NLCS and Game 3 of the World Series. He tallied 16 strikeouts, one earned run, and one walk combined in those two performances.
For his playoff career, Buehler owns a 2.35 ERA and a 0.995 WHIP. This isn’t unfamiliar territory for him. Quite the contrary, it’s very familiar territory. Buehler has started 11 playoff games in the last three years.
Before Max Scherzer came to town, Buehler wore the crown as the Dodgers regular season and playoff ace. Buehler’s September (5.40 ERA) combined with Scherzer’s hot streak (5 ER in 9 starts) took some of that shine away. However, there are few starters who elevate their game in October like Walker Buehler.
The omni-confident Buehler never seems to be overwhelmed by the moment. He seems to embrace the pressure and the spotlight.
This will be his third consecutive year starting Game 1 of the NLDS for the Dodgers. It’s the biggest one yet.
A series versus their hated arch-rival and the team that ended the Dodgers run of eight straight division titles.
A big moment.
Buehler is up to the task.
Dodgers Insider Believes Los Angeles ‘Will Handle’ Giants in the NLDS
I sure hope so. If Butane is on his game and the Dodgers take game 1, it will be MONSTER!
Walker will get it done. He’s got the experience and recent games bode well for stellar performance.
Great pitchers duel in Milwaukee. Through 7 innings 0-0 tie Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes and Atlanta big game pitcher Charlie Morton. Yes Morton of the cheatstros who blanked the Dodgers over the final 4 innings of game 7 in 2017.
Stick a fork in the White Sox. Down 2 Games to none vs the cheatstros. That is still the single biggest travesty that the cheatstros name still resides in the recordbooks! Would be poetic justice if the Dodgers could right that wrong in the WS. Fairly good chance of it happening. By no means a certainty of course. Lots of things need to happen before that. I’m just dreaming.
Buehler threw a really dumb 3-0 pitch to Possey with 1b open. Dodgers down 2-0 early. Gotta settle down, and pitch smarter.
Such a stupid pitch!! How the heck do you throw Possey a 3-0 pitch with first base open? Going to come back to haunt the Dodgers.
Unfortunately postseason Pollock is back again, 0-2 with 2 strikeouts! Arghhh
Did the announcer really say that tonight was the first HR for Posey in the postseason since 2012? Still a lot of game left, but…Wow…just wow.