Padres Manager Can't Say Enough Good Things About Walker Buehler

Entering the season, one of the big questions around the San Diego Padres was how the starting rotation would hold up over the course of the year.

The starters were seen as one of the major weak points of this Padres' roster, with the group having all sorts of uncertainty surrounding them. Adding insult to injury, the Padres saw veteran Joe Musgrove suffer a setback in his injury recovery during the spring, and Nick Pivetta went down with an elbow injury just four starts into the season.

But the Padres have been able to stay afloat in the playoff standings on the back of some surprise performances from starters. One of them is veteran Walker Buehler, who signed a minor league deal with San Diego over the offseason.

Buehler worked his way into the starting rotation, earning a roster spot on Opening Day. And at this point, he has been better than anyone outside the Padres organization could have imagined.

Padres manager Craig Stammen credited the veteran starter for helping set the tone for the team each time out.

“He just gets us off to a good start,” Stammen said. “He’s been very good early in games. He allows us to get our offense going a little and give them a chance to score runs. He’s not giving up very many hits, he’s not walking anybody, he’s getting ahead, he’s just very efficient.

"He’s pitching like a pitcher that knows what he’s doing out there with a lot of confidence. And we know Walker doesn’t lack confidence, and he’s using that to the best of his abilities out there on the mound. It’s fun to watch him pitch.”

Overall, Buehler has made 15 starts for the Padres, posting an ERA of 3.96 over 72.2 innings of work. In June, he's made four starts, sporting a 1.71 ERA with 22 strikeouts over 21 innings.

After a shaky 2025 season, Buehler bet on himself by turning down major league offers to join the Padres. The veteran believed that San Diego was the place to help him turn his career back around, and so far, it's worked.

Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla has worked with Buehler very closely, and he has seemed to make a difference. Buehler has noted Niebla as a strong resource he has used, and now the veteran is helping the Padres win games.

Over his career, Buehler has been one of the better postseason pitchers in baseball, and this could be an advantage for the Padres if they can get into the playoffs. But for now, the veteran will look to continue giving the Padres a chance to win each time out.

Playing for the Padres was likely never a thought for Buehler until last offseason, but it's worked out well for both sides. The goal of helping this franchise win a title has fueled the veteran, and it's showing in his performance on the mound.

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