Walker Buehler's Job Isn't Safe Despite Making Padres Opening Day Roster

San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Walker Buehler's job isn't safe despite making the Opening Day roster.

Buehler signed a minor league deal with the Padres this offseason in the hopes of earning a spot in the starting rotation. The former All-Star has been looking to return to form over the last two seasons, but has yet to do so.

Perhaps San Diego is the answer.

In 2024, the right-hander struggled with his command all season long as he posted a 5.38 ERA in the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation. Buehler was kept on the postseason roster, but only out of necessity.

The Dodgers had just three healthy starting pitchers, including Buehler, who was coming off of Tommy John surgery. The right-hander proved he could still shine bright in October as he had two scoreless outings in the NL Championship Series and World Series that season.

His performance in the playoffs earned him a $21.05 million contract from the Boston Red Sox in free agency last offseason. Unfortuantely for Buehler, the east coast didn't pan out as expected.

The right-hander ended his short tenure with the Red Sox sporting a 5.45 ERA and was released by the team in August. He ended the 2025 season with a 4.93 mark after an even shorter stint with the Philadelphia Phillies for the final month of the year.

This spring, Buehler posted a 6.60 ERA with 16 strikeouts across 15 innings in Cactus League. The right-hander cemented his spot on the Opening Day rotation with a five shutout inning performance against the San Francisco Giants earlier this month.

“He bought into our philosophy and the overall holistic approach to making him a better pitcher,” manager Craig Stammen said of Buehler. “Him buying into that so quickly and seeing success with it over the last couple starts made us feel really comfortable putting him on the team.”

While Buehler made the Opening Day roster, his leash won't be long. The Padres have a handful of veteran pitchers who will start the year in the minor leagues. Moreover, Joe Musgrove should be back early in the season.

Buehler will need to pitch well if he wants to stick with San Diego this season.

Walker Buehler Looking to Return to All-Star Form With Padres

Buehler certainly has the right mindset as he isn't just satisfied with making the Opening Day roster. His goal is to perform well in 2026, something that he has yet to do for a full season since he returned from Tommy John surgery.

“Everybody wants to play in the big leagues,” Buehler said. “I’ve played long enough that going to the minor leagues is not probably something that I would do. To put in an offseason like I did and move the family out here and get in better shape and do a lot of that kind of stuff, it’s super rewarding to kind of achieve the goal. But at the end of day, I still want to go out and have a good year. I think that’s obviously more important than anything else.”

At the end of the day, the Padres took a chance on Buehler and he will have to prove that he deserves a permanent spot in the rotation. Only time will tell if that's the case.