Dodgers righty Walker Buehler's brutally honest admission on pitching vs. Mets
10/15/2024 09:56 PM
Walker Buehler may be a shell of himself these days, but Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is still trusting him with a huge responsibility in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series. It will be the right-handed starting pitcher’s job to silence the New York Mets in front of a wild Citi Field crowd on Wednesday night.
If he fails this daunting task, it will be quite difficult to slow down the Mets’ momentum. Their offense can be relentless, as the MLB playoffs have repeatedly shown, which could create a disastrous matchup problem for the shaky Buehler. He combusted in the second inning of his NL Division Series start versus the San Diego Padres, giving up a whopping six runs. The two-time All-Star settled down, but the damage was done. Another implosion could result in a 2-1 series lead for New York.
Despite the overwhelming pressure facing both him and the Dodgers, Buehler is relishing the chance to take the mound in a frenzied postseason atmosphere against one of the most resilient lineups in baseball.
“I imagine it’s going to be rocking here tomorrow,” he said, per Dodger Insider. “That’s what excites me more than anything is the noise and the excitement. And the kind of live-or-die feeling on every pitch is something I’ve really grown to love.”
Can Walker Buehler put the Dodgers in position to win Game 3?
Buehler’s October numbers support his enthusiasm. He has a respectable 3.40 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 16 postseason appearances. Again, though, this is not the same player who dominated hitters during LA’s 2020 World Series run. The 30-year-old has yet to bounce back from 2022 Tommy John surgery, making him one of the more unpredictable starters in the 2024 MLB playoffs.
Buehler has been more trustworthy in the last few weeks, but withstanding a boisterous reception from Queens requires supreme composure. He will try to make Dodgers fans forget all about the 5.38 ERA he recorded this season and remind them why he was one of the best hurlers in the sport only a few years ago.
The Walker Buehler comeback tour heads to Queens for its most important test yet. First pitch is set for 8:08 p.m. ET.
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