Walker Anthony Buehler...married his longtime girlfriend McKenzie in 2021, and the couple welcomed their daughter into the world in 2024...doesn't eat seafood (including sushi)...says he won't eat anything that swims...actor Matthew Broderick would play him in a movie about his life...used the name "Ferris" on the back of his 2018 Player's Weekend uniform...had a minority ownership stake in 2020 Kentucky Derby and the 2020 Breeders' Cup Classic winner "Authentic."...Red Sox INF Alex Bregman and Buehler co-own a steed, March of Time...played college ball at Vanderbilt and was a member of the 2014 College World Series championship team...played for the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod League in 2014...the best miniature golf course in the Cape is in Yarmouth-Dennis, and if you played for the team, you putted for free...each year they put on a Y-D Red Sox putting Tournament...graduated from Henry Clay (Ky.) High School, where he has his jersey retired...named a two-time Kentucky All-State and two-time All-City team member...selected by the Pirates in the 14th round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of Henry Clay HS but did not sign... selected by the Dodgers in the first round (24th overall pick) of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of Vanderbilt (signed by scout Marty Lamb)...hosts a charity golf tournament in Lexington, Ky., every year to benefit the Kids Cancer Alliance…Walker's uncle, Matthew “Pig” Buehler battled cancer much of his life, and he passed away in 2005 at the age of 37...before he pitches, he traces the letters “P-I-G” into the mound in memory of his uncle.
2025
Began the season with Boston and went 7-7 with a 5.45 ERA in 23 games (22 GS) before being released on Aug. 29...Signed a Minor League contract with the Phillies on Aug. 31 and was assigned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley...Made one start for the IronPigs on Sept. 6 vs Toledo (ND, 3.0 IP, 1 ER) and later had his contract selected by the Phillies on Sept. 12, earning the win in his debut that night vs KC (5.0 IP, 1 ER, BB, 3 SO)...Earned wins in all three of his appearances (two starts, one relief appearance)...Secured the win in his first relief appearance for Philadelphia on Sept. 19 at ARI (3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 runs, 2 BB, 3 SO, 60 pitches)...From July 10 through the end of the season, went 4-1, 3.17 ERA (19 ER/54.0 IP) with 31 SO to 29 BB across 11 games (nine starts)...POSTSEASON: Selected to a postseason roster for the sixth of eight seasons in which he appeared in the regular season, but did not appear in a game for the Phillies.
2024
Over 16 starts in the regular season, posted a 1-6 record with a 5.38 ERA (45 ER/75.1 IP) with 64 strikeouts against 28 walks and a 1.55 WHIP...Relied on seven pitches in 2024: four-seamer (29%), cutter (20.8%), knuckle curve (19.2%), sinker (16.3%), sweeper (8.2%), changeup (5.2%) and slider (1.3%)...After missing all of 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery (his second), he began the season making six rehab starts between Triple-A Oklahoma City and Single-A Rancho Cucamonga before pitching in a big league game in 2024...His win total in 16 starts in the 2024 regular season (1) matched his wins in three Postseason starts in 2024 (one)...Logged his first victory in almost two years in his start on May 18 against Cincinnati...Tossed six scoreless innings in his first quality start of the season...Made his 2024 debut on May 6 against the Marlins... Was his first Major League game since June 10, 2022...Picked up his only win of the season on May 18 against Cincinnati, tossing six scoreless innings and giving up only three hits and striking out seven...Posted his highest career ERA (5.38) and opponent AVG (.289) in a full ML campaign, having owned a 7.71 ERA and .306 opponent AVG in eight relief appearances in 2017 for the Dodgers...His .143 winning percentage tied with COL's Dakota Hudson for the second lowest in the Majors among pitchers who had made at least 16 starts (higher than just TOR Yariel Rodríguez's .111 winning %)...Went 1-1 overall with four appearances (three starts) in the 2024 Postseason, posting a 3.60 ERA (6 ER/15.0 IP) with 13 strikeouts and five walks allowed...Recorded the final out of LAD's 2024 World Series win in G5 vs. the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, entering the ninth in relief and striking out Alex Verdugo...Was his first-career Postseason relief appearance...Had earned a win in his prior World Series start in Game 3 @ NYY (5.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 5 SO, 2 BB).
2023
Did not play in the majority of the season after recovering from his second Tommy John surgery in the summer of 2022... Made one rehab outing with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sept. 3, spinning two perfect innings and striking out two against Round Rock.
2022
Produced a 6-3 record across 12 starts with a 4.02 ERA (29 ER/65.0 IP) before being placed on the Injured List on June 11 for the remainder of the season...Spun his first career complete game shut-out on April 25 at Arizona, striking out 10 while allowing just three hits…was his first complete game since Aug. 3, 2019 against SD 47...Was most successful on the road, posting a 4-1 record across five starts for 2.32 ERA (8 ER/31.0 IP) with 30 strikeouts against just six walks...Totaled a perfect record in May at 4-0 over six starts, striking out 28 batters and walking just nine… limited hitters to a .279 average for a 3.71 ERA (14/34.0 IP)...Was tied for second in the National League in wins (six), was one of two NL pitchers to toss a complete game shutout, and was one of five NL pitchers to pitch a complete game before being placed on the Injured List...Tabbed as the Dodgers’ Opening Day starter for the first time in his career…tossed 5.0 innings of two-run ball, allowing four hits and striking out five as he recorded his first win Notched three quality starts in 12 games…fired 5.0+ IP in 10 of his 12 starts, averaging 4.2 strikeouts a game…notched double-digit strikeouts in just one game this season on April 25 at ARI…limited righthanded hitters to a .252 average (28-for-111) and left-handed hitters to a .271 average (39-for-144)…had yet to allow a hit in bases loaded situations before being placed on the Injured List…dominated his outings vs. ARI, going 2-0 with a complete game shutout with a 1.29 ERA (2 ER/14.0 IP) with 14 strikeouts.
2021
Had a stellar year, posting a 16-4 record across 33 starts with a 2.47 ERA (57 ER/207.2 IP)…struck out 212 batters against just 52 walks and produced a 0.96 WHIP... Faired well against both lefties and righties, limiting each to a .201/.267/.329 and .198/.245/.330 slashline respectively... Ranked amongst the best in the National League in multiple categories: ERA (3rd, 2.47), wins (3rd, 16), strikeouts (7th, 212), games started (T-1, 33), innings pitched (2nd, 207.2), opponents’ average (2nd, .199), WHIP (4th, 0.97), and winning percentage (2nd, .800)... Finished the season with strong numbers across the board, leading the team in ERA (2.47), games started (33), innings pitched (207.2), WHIP (0.97), strikeouts (212), and opponents’ batting average (.199)... Finished fourth in Cy Young voting with 70 points, just behind Max Scherzer... Named to his second All-Star team as a replacement player…did not make an appearance in the Mid-Summer Classic... Earned his first All-MLB Team distinction (first-team), joining his teammates Max Scherzer (first-team), Trea Turner (second-team), Julio Urías (second-team), and Kenley Jansen (second-team)... Claimed his first NL Pitcher of the Month distinction for the month of July, after posting a perfect 3-0 record over five starts with a 1.67 ERA, 38 strikeouts, and nine walks…did not allow a home run in that span... Picked up career highs in wins (16), ERA (2.47), games (33), and innings pitched (207.2)…tossed 200+ strikeouts for the second time in his career (2019: 215)... Pitched in his fourth Postseason, going 0-2 over four starts with a 4.91 ERA (12 ER/18.1 IP)…struck out 18 batters and walked nine Was a solid performer at home, going 11-2 over 19 starts for a 2.05 ERA (28 ER/123.0 IP) with 130 strikeouts… tossed 7.0+ innings 14 times this year, including 7.2 frames Aug. 20 against the Mets…struck out double-digit batters four times, registering wins in two of those starts…faired well before the All-Star break, posting a 9-1 record over 18 games with a 2.36 ERA (30 ER/114.1 IP)…went undefeated on Saturdays, posting a perfect 5-0 mark across seven games…smashed his first career double June 2 against St. Louis, earning his first career multi-RBI games, and later collected his second double just one month later July 5 at Miami…committed just his second fielding error of his career in his start against the Padres on April 16.
2020
Went 1-0 with a 3.4 4 ERA in eight starts during the 60-game season, holding opponents to a .178 batting average with a 0.95 WHIP…struck out 42 against 11 walks in 36.2 innings... Limited to just 36.2 innings in the regular season due to two IL stints caused by blisters (Aug. 26-Sept. 2; Sept. 10-24)...Helped lead the Dodgers to their 2020 World Championship, going 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA (5 ER/25.0 IP) in five Postseason starts…limited opponents to a .196 batting average (18-for-92) with 39 strikeouts in 25.0 Postseason innings...Tossed 6.0 innings of one-run ball to pick up the win in World Series Game 3 over the Rays (Dodgers 6-2 win), striking out 10, allowing just three hits and walking one…became the first pitcher in World Series history to strike out 10 while not pitching more than 6.0 innings.
2019
Finished the season going 13-4 with a 3.24 ERA (64 ER/17 7.1 IP) in a career-high 30 starts, limiting opponents to a .223 average while posting a 1.04 WHIP ... Led the National League in winning percentage (.7 78) and complete games (2) and ranked among leaders in wins (T-6th), WHIP (6th, 1.04), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3rd, 5.81), walks per 9.0 innings (6th, 1.83), ERA (9th) and strikeouts per 9.0 innings (7th, 10.51) ... Struck out 200 batters for the first time in his career, leading Dodger pitchers with 215 strikeouts and ranking 10th in the NL in that category ... Buehler's five games with double-digit strikeouts and no walks were the most in the National League and only second to Justin Verlander (6) and Gerritt Cole (7) in the Major Leagues... according to STATS, his five such games are the most by any MLB pitcher 25 or younger in a season in the live-ball era (since 1920)...joined Pedro Martinez and Doc Gooden as the only MLB pitchers with multiple starts of 15 strikeouts and no walks in the same season (June 21 vs. Colorado and August 3 vs. San Diego)...had success against batters on both sides of the plate, holding left-handed hitters to a .218 average (74-for-339) and righties to a .226 mark (74-for-327)...was selected to his first All-Star Game after going 8-1 with a 3.46 ERA while posting a 0.99 WHIP in 17 first half starts...made two NLDS starts against the Nationals, allowing only one earned run in 12.2 innings of work, striking out 15 batters against six walks while posting a 0.87 WHIP.
2018
Finished third in the Rookie of Year voting, going 8-5 with a 2.62 ERA (40 ER /137.1 IP) in 24 games (23 starts)… struck out 151 batters against just 37 walks and limited hitters to a .193 average ... Made his first career big league start on April 23 against Miami at Dodger Stadium after being recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City ... As a starter, went 8-4 with a 2.31 ERA (35 ER /136.1 IP), a .185 opponents' batting average and a 0.92 WHIP… ranked among the best starters in the big leagues (min. 125 IP) in ERA (5th), opponents' batting average (3rd), opponents' OBP (.249, 5th), opponents' SLG (.282, 2nd), opponents' OPS (.531, 2nd), WHIP (5th), hits per nine innings (5.94, 3rd) and home runs per nine innings (0.73, 9th)…also ranked among NL starters in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.08, 8th) and strikeouts per nine innings (9.90, 12th) ... Finished the season with the lowest WHIP (0.92) among rookie pitchers with 20 or more starts since 1913, and the second lowest opponents' OBP (.249), behind just Dick Hughes' .248 mark in 1967 with the Cardinals…his .185 opponents' batting average also ranked the fourth lowest, while his .531 opponents' OPS was the fifth lowest ... Was dominant in the second half of the season, going 4-3 with a 2.03 ERA (18 ER /80.0 IP) and holding opposing hitters to a .165/.242/.266 slashline, while striking out 92 batters against just 24 walks in 13 starts… among starters with 10 or more starts since the All-Star break, he finished with the second best opponent's batting average in the big leagues, while ranking among the best in WHIP (0.88, 4th), ERA (5th) and strikeouts (T-10th) ... In 13 games (12 starts) at home, he put up a 4-3 record with a 1.93 ERA (16 ER /74.2 IP) and held hitters to a .174 average…among starters with 10 or more starts at home, his 0.83 WHIP was the best in the Majors, while his ERA (1.93 ERA, 8th) and opponents' batting average (.174, 3rd) ranked among the best in the big leagues ... Pitched in Game 163 against the Rockies and recorded the win to help the Dodgers secure their sixth straight NL West Title, after allowing just one hit and striking out three over 6.2 scoreless innings ... Made four Postseason starts (0-1), posting a 3.80 ERA (10 ER /23.2 IP), while limiting opponents to a .190 average and posting a 0.85 WHIP…struck out 29 batters against only four walks ... His eight strikeouts in 7.0 innings of Game 3 of the NLCS against the Brewers were the second-most in an NLCS start by a rookie in Dodger history, trailing just Tim Belcher, who struck out 10 in Game 2 of the 1988 NLCS vs. the Mets…his 7.0 innings pitched tied Belcher (1988 Game 5) and teammate Hyun-Jin Ryu (2013 Game 3) for the third-longest LCS start by a Dodger rookie, behind Fernando Valenzuela (8.2 IP, 1981 Game 5) and Belcher (8.1 IP, 1988 Game 2) ... Became just the second rookie in MLB history to start Game 7 of an LCS (Oct. 20 at MIL), joining Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2007 ALCS against Cleveland ... Started Game 3 of the World Series for the Dodgers, logging 7.0 shutout innings while allowing two hits and striking out seven batters without issuing a walk in a no-decision…became the third pitcher in World Series history to log those numbers or better in a Fall Classic contest, joining Roger Clemens (2000) and Don Larsen (1956)…Buehler is the first pitcher younger than 25 years old to accomplish the feat in any Postseason game ... Was named to Baseball America's 2018 All-Rookie Team.
2017
Saw his first big league action in just his second professional season and made eight relief appearances going 1-0 with a 7.71 ERA (8 ER/9.1 IP)...In the Majors, he struck out 12 against eight walks in 9.1 innings...held left-handed hitters to a .188 average and limited the opposition to a .182 mark with runners in scoring position...Had his contract selected from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sept. 6 and made his big league debut the next day (Sept. 7), tossing 2.0 scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts against the Rockies...Recorded his first Major League win on Sept. 21, 2017 at Philadelphia, tossing a scoreless inning of relief with two strikeouts in the Dodgers' 5-4 victory...Selected as the Dodgers Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher of the Year after going 3-3 with one save and posting a 3.35 ERA (33 ER/88.2 IP) in 28 combined games (19 starts) with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City...rated by MLB.com as the Dodgers' No. 1 prospect and was rated by Baseball America as the 17th best overall prospect in baseball...In the minors, held hitters to a combined .208 average, while striking out 125 batters against just 31 walks in 88.2 innings...Named Texas League Pitcher of the Week in the week ending July 2 and was selected as MiLB.com Organizational All-Star.
2016
In his first professional season, he went 1-0 and tossed a combined 5.0 scoreless innings in three games (one start) with Single-A Great Lakes and Rookie-level AZL Dodgers after recovering from elbow surgery...Collected a combined six strikeouts against three walks and did not issue a hit in all three outings.
2015
Underwent UCL reconstruction (Tommy John) surgery performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on Aug. 5.
