Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox pitcher Walker Buehler has overcome early season struggles to secure three consecutive wins.
On the 22nd (Korea time), Buehler took the mound as the starting pitcher in a game against the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park in Boston and earned the win with a performance of 7 innings, 4 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts, and 1 earned run. Boston won 4-2.
It was a special experience for Buehler. The game started at 11:10 a.m. local time on Patriot Day. Buehler said, "I set my alarm for 6:45 a.m., got up, and left the hotel at 7:15 a.m. to come to the ballpark."
He continued, "I remember waking up early like this when I faced Jack Flaherty in Double-A in 2017. We both started on SpongeBob SquarePants Day. I got a hit off Flaherty," recalling old memories.
Buehler allowed 1 run in the first inning but kept additional runs off the board until the seventh. This was the first time since May 9, 2022, during his time with the Dodgers, that he pitched for 7 innings. He struck out batters in crucial situations.
In the first inning, Buehler allowed a single to leadoff hitter Nick Maton, followed by a base hit from Andrew Benintendi, putting him in a first-and-third no-out crisis. He struck out Luis Robert Jr. and got Edgar Quero out with a ground ball to second base, allowing the runner on third to score. He ended the inning by flying out Renyn Soares to center field with two outs and a runner on second.
After one out in the second inning, Buehler allowed a ground-rule double over the right field fence to Brooks Baldwin, but struck out all three batters faced. In the third inning, he walked Maton and Benintendi consecutively, putting runners on first and second with no outs. It was different from the first inning. He struck out Robert Jr. and Quero in succession, and got Soares to fly out to shortstop, ending the inning without any runs.
Boston tied the game with a solo home run by Rob Refsnyder in the second inning and took the lead 3-1 with two runs in the third.
Buehler ended the fourth inning with a strikeout, a ground ball, and another strikeout, retiring the side in order. In the fifth inning, after one out, he walked Maton, but ended the inning on a ground ball double play by Benintendi. In the sixth, he gave up a hit to Soares with two outs but got Miguel Vargas out on a ground ball to third. In the seventh, Buehler took the mound again, finishing the inning with a strikeout, a sacrifice bunt out, and a ground ball.
Buehler showed signs of ‘complete failure’ in his first two games of the season. Making his first start of the season in a Boston uniform against Texas, he lasted 4⅓ innings, gave up 7 hits (including 1 home run), and allowed 4 earned runs, resulting in a loss. Then on the 5th against St. Louis, he was hammered for 5 innings, allowing 7 hits (including 2 home runs) and 5 earned runs. In his first 2 games, he pitched 9⅓ innings with an ERA of 8.68 and 9 earned runs.
However, on the 10th against Toronto, he pitched well, going 6⅓ innings, allowing 4 hits and 1 earned run, and on the 16th against Tampa Bay, he became the winning pitcher again, going 5 innings with 3 hits and 2 earned runs. On the 22nd against the White Sox, he pitched 7 innings with 1 earned run for the win. In his last 3 games, he has thrown 18⅓ innings, allowing 4 earned runs with an astonishing 1.96 ERA. His season record stands at 3 wins and 1 loss in 5 games, with an ERA of 4.23.
Buehler debuted with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017 and left a strong impression as a big-game pitcher in the postseason. Last year, he recorded the final strikeout to confirm the championship in the World Series. In 2021, he established himself as the Dodgers' ace, throwing 207⅔ innings over 33 games, achieving 16 wins, 4 losses, and an ERA of 2.47 with 212 strikeouts.
However, he was hindered by injuries. He underwent a second Tommy John surgery during the 2022 season and has been committed to rehabilitation throughout 2023. He returned for the 2024 season but struggled with a record of 1 win and 6 losses, showing an ERA of 5.38.
In the postseason, he pitched in 4 games (3 starts, 15 innings) with a record of 1 win, 1 loss, and 1 save, achieving an ERA of 3.60. He secured a starting win in Game 3 of the World Series (5 innings), and in the final Game 5, he made an appearance in the 9th inning, recording a 1-inning, scoreless save.
After the season, Buehler, now a free agent, wanted to stay with the Dodgers, but the team did not retain him. The Dodgers did not even present Buehler with a qualifying offer of $21.05 million. Instead, they brought in starting pitchers Blake Snell and Sasaki Rocky. Buehler signed a 1-year, $21.05 million contract with Boston.
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