{"id":83061,"date":"2025-07-26T09:27:57","date_gmt":"2025-07-26T09:27:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=83061"},"modified":"2025-07-26T09:27:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-26T09:27:57","slug":"breaking-facing-dodgers-for-first-time-gives-walker-buehler-chance-to-reflect-on-his-time-in-l-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=83061","title":{"rendered":"Breaking: Facing Dodgers for first time gives Walker Buehler chance to reflect on his time in L.A."},"content":{"rendered":"
BOSTON\u00a0\u2014\u00a0It had been nine months since\u00a0Walker Buehler\u00a0struck out Alex Verdugo, stretched his arms on the Yankee Stadium mound, and was dogpiled after recording the final outs of\u00a0last year\u2019s World Series.<\/p>\n
But on Friday afternoon, ahead of Buehler\u2019s first reunion with the Dodgers since\u00a0departing for the Boston Red Sox\u00a0in the offseason, the memory remained vividly fresh \u2014 for him, his former teammates and coaches, and even a traveling contingent of Dodgers fans in town for this weekend\u2019s series at Fenway Park.<\/p>\n
As Buehler chatted with members of his old organization hours before Friday\u2019s series opener, Dodger fans taking a pregame tour of the stadium spotted him on the diamond. Within moments, an otherwise empty ballpark was echoing with cheers and applause, the fans shouting Buehler\u2019s name as he acknowledged them with a wave of his hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was really cool,\u201d Buehler said later, the moment reminding him of a conversation he had with Dodgers broadcaster\u00a0Orel Hershiser\u00a0(a World Series hero of a different generation who became a mentor of Buehler\u2019s during his time with the team).<\/em><\/p>\n
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\u201cTalking to Orel about some of that stuff that he\u2019s gone through and the way people react to him, I think it\u2019s obviously two different situations,\u201d he added. \u201cBut for the fans walking around to yell at me, I kind of imagine in L.A. it\u2019ll be like that for a while, I hope.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n
Indeed, if there was any doubt about how Buehler\u2019s Dodgers tenure was destined to be remembered,\u00a0his role in last year\u2019s World Series\u00a0enshrined it in legendary status.<\/p>\n
No, the right-hander didn\u2019t quite reach the Cy Young-winning expectations many had when he first came up as a highly touted prospect with a big fastball and fiery mound presence. For as dominant as he was from 2018-2021, when he went 39-13 with a 2.82 earned-run average and two All-Star selections, the end of his seven-year stint was derailed by a 2022 Tommy John surgery (the second of his career) and a disappointing regular-season performance upon his return in 2024 (when he was 1-6 in the regular season with a 5.38 ERA).<\/p>\n
Buehler\u2019s best Dodger moments, though, always came in the postseason: From his division-clinching gem in Game 163 as a rookie in 2018, to his 1.80 ERA in five starts during the Dodgers\u2019 2020 World Series run, to when he took the ball on short rest twice in a failed title defense in 2021, to his 10 consecutive scoreless innings in the final two rounds of last year\u2019s postseason most of all; an unexpected star turn following his post-Tommy John struggles throughout the summer.<\/p>\n
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Boston Red Sox pitcher Walker Buehler delivers against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday.<\/div>\n
\u201cThat moment means a lot to all of us, that we were a part of it with the city and the fans that came out every day for us there,\u201d he said, while talking to reporters in the Red Sox\u2019s home dugout. \u201cI think it would have been hard to leave that for anywhere \u2014 except for here.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n
While Buehler expressed interest in remaining with the Dodgers ahead of his free agency last winter, his eventual departure became clear in the first week of the offseason.<\/p>\n
The team didn\u2019t extend him a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer \u2014 which ended up being the same amount he signed for with the Red Sox. The Dodgers instead went after Blake Snell with a $182-million contract, and won the January sweepstakes for Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was an interesting situation. I think there\u2019s obviously two sides to that situation,\u201d Buehler said when reflecting back on his free agency. \u201cWe had conversations about it, we talked through it. And they went and signed guys that they wanted to sign. And I signed with a place that I wanted to play. It kind of is what it is.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n
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