Walker Buehler Lights Up Giants' Diamond with 7 Ks!
Can the bounceback candidate continue to produce into the regular season?
TEMPE, ARIZONA - MARCH 10: Pitcher Walker Buehler #10 of the San Diego Padres throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning of a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 10, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images With the news that Joe Musgrove will start the season on the injured list, the San Diego Padres now have two rotation spots available instead of just one. Germán Márquez was lined up to take the fifth spot due to his big-league contract, but now there’s room for one more.
One name has continued to come up this spring for San Diego: Walker Buehler An inconsistent career The Los Angeles Dodgers mainstay has struggled since having the best year of his career in 2021, with a 4. 83 ERA from 2022-25. But in ‘21 he dominated the league with a 2.
47 ERA and 0. 97 WHIP. Toward the end of the ‘22 season, Buehler underwent Tommy John surgery and was out for the entire 2023 season.
Since then, he has been largely ineffective outside of a dominant postseason run in ‘24. In 2025, Buehler put up a 5. 45 ERA while on a prove-it deal with the Boston Red Sox to bolster their rotation depth.