Walker Buehler’s journey to the World Series is all about bouncing back and showing up when it matters. With two Tommy John surgeries leading up to his history-making moment, his path wasn’t exactly easy. Buehler went from dominating at Vanderbilt to tearing it up with the Dodgers, and he’s proven his All-Star status.
Before he made it to Major League Baseball, Buehler played for Vanderbilt University. As a freshman in 2013, he posted a 4-3 record with a 3.14 earned run average (ERA) and 57 strikeouts in 16 appearances.
In his sophomore season, he had a 12-2 record, 2.64 ERA, and 111 strikeouts, which helped significantly with Vanderbilt’s 2014 College World Series championship. In that series, Buehler delivered 5 1/3 innings of no-hit relief against the University of California, Irvine, retiring nine batters and striking out seven.
During the summer of 2014, he further highlighted his talent with the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod Baseball League. He had a 0.63 ERA and earned co-MVP honors in the playoffs. At the end of his three-year collegiate career, Buehler had a 21-7 record, 2.87 ERA, and 260 strikeouts in 51 games, which helped solidify him as a top prospect for the MLB draft.
Buehler’s MLB journey started when the Los Angeles Dodgers selected him 24th overall in the 2015 MLB draft. Shortly after being drafted, Buehler underwent Tommy John surgery then was sidelined for 18 months.
After recovery, he made his major league debut on September 7, 2017, against the Colorado Rockies. During the 2018 season, he secured a spot in the starting rotation, delivering a standout performance on May 4. He pitched six hitless innings as part of a combined no-hitter against the San Diego Padres. His rookie season culminated in a 2.62 ERA over 23 starts, which earned him third place in the National League Rookie of the Year voting.
In 2019 Buehler hit his first career home run, threw two complete games, and became the third pitcher in MLB history with multiple 15-strikeout, no-walk games in a season. He ended the year with a 14–4 record, leading the league in win percentage and complete games, and helped the Dodgers in the National League Division Series (NLDS) with standout performances. Buehler was also selected for the 2019 MLB All-Star Game, where he only gave up one run in one inning.
In 2020, Buehler stood out in the playoffs, striking out 10 in Game 3 of the World Series, helping the Dodgers claim the title. In the 2021 season, he had a 16–4 record, a 2.47 ERA, and his second All-Star selection as well as All-MLB First Team. Buehler had a strong start in 2022 but his season ended early due to his second Tommy John surgery. Even with the setbacks, the Dodgers kept faith in him and signed him for 2023, he missed the season but aimed for a 2024 return.
Thankfully for the Dodgers, Buehler successfully recovered, and is one of few MLB pitchers to recover from two Tommy John surgeries. On May 6 he made his first start in almost two years, and he struggled. Buehler posted a 5.84 ERA in 37 innings.
After a poor performance on June 18 against the Rockies, he returned to the injured list for a hip issue. He temporarily left the team to train privately in Florida before rehabbing with Oklahoma City and finally returning to the Dodgers on August 14. He made 16 starts and finished the season with a 1-6 record and a 5.38 ERA. In Game 3 of the NLDS, he allowed six runs in five innings. However, in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS), he was able to bounce back with four scoreless innings.
The Dodgers made it to the World Series and in Game 5 Buehler made history. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had depleted his bullpen after using six relievers in Game 5 and four in Game 4 and he turned to Walker Buehler to close out a 7-6 lead over the Yankees. Despite pitching on just one day's rest after earning the win in Game 3, Buehler delivered under immense pressure. He forced a groundout from Anthony Volpe before striking out Austin Wells and Alex Verdugo to secure his first save since 2017.
Buehler became the fourth pitcher in World Series history to earn both a win as a starter and a save in the same series, joining Madison Bumgarner (2014), Catfish Hunter (1974), and Jack Billingham (1972). The 30-year-old not only helped the Dodgers clinch the championship but also cemented his place in baseball history with the second ring of his career.
Edited by Brittany Snow
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