Walker Buehler, Padres Oozing With Confidence Heading Into Postseason

The San Diego Padres begin their postseason journey on Tuesday evening against the Chicago Cubs.

After owning a record of just 50-53 on July 24, the Padres have been on an absolute tear, losing just 18 times over the last 59 games of the season.

Being the hottest team in baseball come playoff time has its perks, but the target on their back only grows as a result. With just 13 more wins to go to clinch the first championship in franchise history, it appears that the Padres don't care who they are facing and are just ready to continue producing.

Right-hander Walker Buehler saw the blueprint over the offseason as he opted to sign a minor league deal to start the season instead of accepting some of the other MLB offers he received. As a former member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, not only is he familiar with a premature end to a postseason, but he knows what it takes to reach the finish line.

“What’s interesting is they’ve done this a lot,” Buehler said of the Padres. “Like this organization has had a lot of success. … We feel like we’re as dangerous as any team that is out there, and not that I have any [expletive] all-world advice, but I’m excited to be on this side of it in some way. You know what I mean? And if we play good, we think we can beat everybody.”

Buehler has demonstrated the ability to find another gear come October, not only helping LA to two titles during his time there but pitching in relief on one day of rest to earn a save (the first of his career) in the 2024 World Series.

As for his Padres tenure, he started the first half of his first season in San Diego with a 5.36 ERA. In classic Buehler fashion, his final 13 starts of the year equated to a 3.62 ERA to go along with a 4-1 record.

Back in 2019, Buehler earned his first All-Star appearance and finished the season with a 3.26 ERA across 30 starts, striking out 215 and walking just 37. He proved to be even better in October as he allowed just one earned runs and five total hits through his only two starts of the postseason.

The next season, Buehler had a 3.44 ERA across eight starts but once again got better when the lights got brighter. During the 2020 postseason run, Buehler had an ERA of just 1.80 across five starts (25 innings), including a 10-strikeout performance in Game 3 of the World Series.

An injury-riddled 2024 campaign featured a 5.38 ERA — including a 4.44 ERA in his final five starts before October — but Buehler not only lowered his average to 3.60, but helped earn another World Series trophy.

In fact, Buehler was untouchable in his final three outings of that postseason, pitching 10 scoreless innings in the NLCS (four) and World Series (si). However, a six-run outing against the Padres in the NLDS was his one blip.

Now that Buehler is guaranteed not to pitch against San Diego this season, perhaps his postseason success will continue.

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