The Dodgers’ vulnerable pitcher is putting on a playoff-caliber performance

The Los Angeles Dodgers secured the NL West title with an impressive 7-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Thursday night. The offense was firing on all cylinders, scoring 11 hits and the top of the batting order delivered once again. However, the most significant performance of the night came from starting pitcher Walker Buehler, who provided much-needed stability on the mound.

Bühler speaks out at the crucial moment

Walker Buehler pitched five strong innings, allowing just one earned run and throwing 71 pitches to lower his season ERA to 5.38. Although his overall numbers haven’t been ideal this year, Buehler’s performance on Thursday was exactly what the Dodgers needed heading into the postseason.

With key pitchers Gavin Stone and Tyler Glasnow injured, the Dodgers are relying on Buehler to step up in their absence. The 30-year-old has struggled at times this season, but his performance against San Diego was a positive sign heading into the playoffs.

A time of struggle for Bühler

Buehler has thrown 75.1 innings this season, posting a career-low 7.65 strikeouts per nine innings, a left-on-base rate of 70.3% and a ground ball rate of 45.5%. He also allows 1.91 home runs per nine innings with a home run to fly ball ratio of 18.8%. With a WAR of -0.2, Buehler was a net loss for most of the season, but his performance in September showed some improvement.

One of the most concerning aspects of Buhler’s game was his lack of swings and misses. He’s only in the 9th percentile in chase rate and in the 7th percentile in whiff rate, meaning opposing hitters are making contact far too often. His fastball velocity remains decent, but without generating more strikeouts, he will need to find other ways to be effective in the postseason.

Bühler’s fastball woes

A big problem for Buehler this season has been his four-seam fastball, against which hitters are hitting .342. This pitch makes up 29% of his arsenal, but its effectiveness has significantly diminished. If Buehler is to be a reliable option in the Dodgers’ playoff rotation, he will need to make adjustments, as relying too heavily on contact plays into the hands of opposing offenses.

The Dodgers’ playoff rotation is changing

With the Dodgers’ rotation in shambles due to injuries, Buehler’s role becomes even more important. Despite his difficulties, he will have to produce performances like Thursday’s in the postseason. The Dodgers still have Jack Flaherty and rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto who are expected to lead the rotation in the NLDS. Luckily, by winning the division, Los Angeles will skip the Wild Card round, giving them additional time to prepare their pitching staff for the playoffs.

Looking ahead

The Dodgers will need their rotation to advance to the playoffs, and Buehler’s performance on Thursday is a good starting point. If he can build on that momentum and refine his game, the Dodgers could have a chance to overcome their pitching woes and achieve strong success in the postseason.