NEW YORK — Walker Buehler spent the entire season wondering if he would ever regain his former self, known for his overpowering fastball and unmatched confidence. By the time he took the mound for Game 3 of the World Series, he had transitioned from searching to accepting and finally surviving throughout the past six months. He realized that if he was going to give his Los Angeles Dodgers a fighting chance in the postseason, he would need to reinvent himself with each game in October.
In a surprising turn, the old Buehler made a triumphant return in what could be his final game as a Dodger. Facing the intense atmosphere of Yankee Stadium and a formidable New York Yankees lineup, Buehler dominated through five scoreless innings, utilizing a suddenly vibrant fastball to secure a critical 4-2 victory on Monday night. With this win, the Dodgers now lead the World Series 3-0, just one win away from their first championship in four years and their first full-season title since 1988. Buehler’s resurgence could not have come at a better time for the team.
“There’s a lot of questions about him,” said Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts. “But when those lights turn on, this is the real Walker Buehler.”
Freddie Freeman, looking healthier than he has in weeks, started the scoring with a two-run homer in the first inning, marking his third long ball in just six at-bats. Betts continued to shine, driving in a run after a nine-pitch at-bat in the third inning and making a spectacular catch in the fourth. Overall, the Dodgers displayed solid defense while being economical on offense.
However, it was Buehler who set the stage, allowing only four baserunners—two from hits and two from walks—while striking out five. His performance felt both surprising and familiar. Previously, Buehler had pitched seven scoreless innings in Game 3 of the 2018 World Series against the Boston Red Sox and allowed only one run over six innings in Game 3 of the 2020 World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. With a 0.50 ERA, he now boasts one of the lowest earned run averages in a pitcher’s first three World Series starts since earned runs were officially recorded in 1913.
“I think, as kind of brutal as it is to say, it takes that adrenaline and stuff to really get me going mentally,” Buehler reflected. “I wish I would have felt that all year. There’s something different in the playoffs.”
Buehler’s performance reaped rewards as he generated six swing-and-misses with his fastball, his highest count since 2021. At that time, he finished fourth in the National League Cy Young Award voting, boasting a record of 16-4 with a 2.47 ERA. However, after experiencing a turbulent 2022 filled with struggles and a second Tommy John surgery, this season saw him finally return to the mound in May.
While Buehler had a challenging regular season, with a 5.84 ERA in his first eight starts and a 4.93 mark in his last eight, he now found himself reinstated in the postseason rotation due to injuries that sidelined other key pitchers. October has brought a notable change in his performance. In Game 3 of the National League Division Series, despite giving up six runs in the second inning, Buehler recovered to throw three scoreless innings, and in Game 3 of the NLCS, he leveraged a stellar curveball to escape jams and keep the Mets scoreless for four innings. His fastball returned with devastating effect in the World Series.
“I thought his stuff was as good as it’s been all year,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “The fastball had life, the cutter was effective, and the curveball was sharp. He pitched effectively and kept the Yankees off balance.”
Buehler found comfort in pitching from the stretch, a technique he utilized in his last start at Citi Field. Though it is more taxing than pitching from the windup, as it requires greater force to maintain his velocity, it helped him stay mechanically sound and disrupt opponents’ timing.
He began Game 3 with a leadoff walk but quickly retired top batters Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton. Buehler then struck out four consecutive hitters with an impressive variety of pitches. The Yankees mounted a threat in the fourth, but a strong throw from Teoscar Hernandez cut down Stanton at home. Buehler closed out the fifth inning, handing the game over to the Dodgers’ reliable relievers.
Starting pitching has been a major concern for the Dodgers during the playoffs, yet Buehler, along with Jack Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, has combined to deliver a remarkable 1.62 ERA, neutralizing one of the Yankees’ strongest advantages and moving Los Angeles within a win of their first title since the condensed 2020 season. Four years after a dramatic journey that saw him transition from dominance to difficulty, injury, and uncertainty, Buehler displayed his old form at a critical juncture.
As he expressed, “It makes the regular season worth it for me.”