Padres' Walker Buehler Reveals Shocking Health Update After First Cactus League Start

San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Walker Buehler made his Cactus League debut on Thursday, pitching three innings while allowing two runs.

Buehler averaged 92.4 mph on his fastball, which he said was a little under where he wants it to be. However, he used seven pitches and generated four strikeouts, showing signs of his former dominant self.

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While Buehler's start was promising on the field, the most significant news came off of it.

After the game, Buehler declared himself pain-free for the first time since before his 2022 Tommy John surgery.

“About four weeks ago, my elbow just stopped hurting, and so that’s a new one for me,” Buehler said. “Things have kind of ticked up from there.”

“I’ve tried every treatment and supplement and vitamin you can,” he added. “And luckily I have some people out here that I work with — and I’ve worked with for a lot of years — and something got rid of it. And it hasn’t come back. I’m a little scared. I don’t know exactly what did it that fixed it. I hope if it hurts again we get lucky again.”

Buehler admitting his elbow has essentially hurt for the last four years is a significant development for San Diego, as it proves he may finally be in position to get back to being a viable starting pitching option.

Buehler has been a shell of his former self since returning from his second Tommy John surgery. He had a 5.38 ERA in 2024 and a 4.93 ERA in 2025. He was able to find success in the 2024 postseason, willing LA to a World Series by pitching 13 consecutive scoreless innings including the final three outs of the World Series. Aside from that, it's been mostly struggles.

If Buehler is finally healthy, though, he has a chance to yet again turn into a productive starting pitcher. That's all San Diego needs from him as he competes for the final spot in the rotation.

Baseball is as much a mental game as it is physical, and Buehler appears to be in his strongest mental state in years.

“Feeling healthy and feeling like I can go and execute and go get people out, as opposed to trying to get them to get themselves out, I think is a big mentality switch for me,” Buehler said. “A lot of that is just feeling healthy and feeling like myself.”

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