Dodgers’ Walker Buehler continues to find himself in big games after second Tommy John surgery

LOS ANGELES — If you were hoping to see the Los Angeles Dodgers use a starting pitcher in Game 3 of the World Series, you’re in luck. But if you’re one of the many fervent anti-bullpen-game fans, you’re out of luck.

The Dodgers were set to throw a bullpen game in Game 3 of the World Series on Monday night in the Bronx, but they lined up right-hander Walker Buehler instead. Game 4 will be a bullpen game.

Had the Mets pushed the NLCS into seven games, Buehler would have started Game 7, so he’s rested and ready to go after a solid performance against the Amazins’ 10 days ago, and ready to go against right-hander Clarke Schmidt.

“I think it’s just we love Walker in big games,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. “The road isn’t going to faze him. It also allows him potentially to be available for a Game 7 too.”

The road certainly didn’t phase Buehler in the last round. He faced a hostile crowd eager for a win at Citi Field on a chilly New York night and threw four scoreless innings, allowing three hits, walking two and striking out six. The Dodgers went on to win 8-0, shutting out the Mets for the second time in the series.

Few knew what to expect from Buehler after a so-so season. A two-time All-Star, injuries led to a decline in his performance and production after a standout 2021 campaign. Since then, Buehler has made only 28 regular season starts, with a second Tommy John surgery and a flexor tendon repair sidelining him for nearly two years. Finally, he made his return to the mound in May of this season.

However, about six weeks later he landed on the injured list again with hip inflammation. Buehler chose to take time away from the Dodgers to work out at Cressey Sports Performance in Florida, Eric Cressey’s private facility. The Dodgers thought consistency in his delivery was the issue, especially since stuff-wise, all seemed fine.

Buehler put up better numbers in the second half, but the improvements were marginal. He went 0-2 with a 4.93 ERA and a 5.05 FIP in eight starts. His ground-ball outs went down and his walk rate went up, however, the hits he gave up didn’t leave the yard at a high rate. After giving up 10 long balls in his first eight starts of the season, he allowed only six in the second eight games.

Suppressing the home-run ball will be key at Yankee Stadium, especially since the Yankees are so heavily reliant on long balls from Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.

Against the Mets in the NLCS, Buehler appeared shaky, loading the bases in the second inning to bring up Francisco Lindor, the exact player a pitcher wouldn’t want to face in that scenario. But he struck out Lindor on seven pitches, getting him to swing through a knuckle curve for strike 3.

“I think the fear of pitching the way I pitched all year is probably where I channel it from,” Buehler said after Game 3.

Buehler would have thrown Lindor a fastball instead of a curveball before the second Tommy John surgery, but his fastball is down to about 95-96 and doesn’t have the same movement anymore. He’s a different pitcher now and he’s trying to figure out how to get outs without overpowering stuff like many two-time Tommy John pitchers.

With the 30-year-old set to be a free agent after the season, his start at Yankee Stadium could be his last in Dodgers uniform. The team that drafted him in the first round out of Vanderbilt in 2015 could hold on to him for depth. After all, the Dodgers are quite adept at fixing broken pitchers.

But if Monday night in the Bronx is his last go-around with the only team he’s ever known, he’ll no doubt try to channel the pitcher he once was — the one that has allowed only one earned run in 13 World Series innings.

“The big games or me being in big games, that’s literally all I care about,” Buehler said.