Walker Anthony Buehler (born July 28, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies.
Buehler played college baseball for the Vanderbilt Commodores and was a member of their 2014 College World Series championship team. He was selected by the Dodgers 24th overall in the 2015 MLB draft and made his MLB debut in 2017. Buehler was an All-Star in 2019 and 2021 and helped the Dodgers win the 2020 and 2024 World Series, earning the series-clinching save in the latter.
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Early life
Walker Anthony Buehler was born on July 28, 1994, in Lexington, Kentucky. Buehler attended Henry Clay High School in Lexington. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 14th round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft but did not sign and instead chose to play college baseball for the Vanderbilt Commodores.
College career
As a freshman in 2013, he made 9 starts and appeared in 16 games. He had a 4–3 record with a 3.14 earned run average (ERA) and 57 strikeouts. As a sophomore, he went 12–2 with 111 strikeouts and a 2.64 ERA and was a member of the 2014 College World Series championship team. On June 16, 2014, Buehler pitched 5+1⁄3 innings of no-hit relief, retiring the first nine batters he faced and striking out seven batters in Vanderbilt's win over the University of California, Irvine.
After the 2014 season Buehler pitched once for the U.S. collegiate team and played for the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL). He posted a 0.63 earned run average with 24 strikeouts over 28+2⁄3 innings pitched for the Red Sox. In the 2014 CCBL playoffs, he did not allow a run in 15+1⁄3 innings, won both of his starts, and was a co-winner of MVP honors, leading the Red Sox to the league championship.
In 2015, as a junior, he posted a 2.95 ERA in 88+1⁄3 innings for the Commodores, while striking out 92 and walking 30. Over the course of his three-year college career, he went 21–7 with a 2.87 ERA in 51 games, striking out 260 against only 86 walks.
Professional career
Draft and minor leagues
Buehler was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers with the 24th overall selection of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft and signed on July 17, 2015, for a $1.78 million bonus. Soon after his signing, it was revealed that he would require Tommy John surgery and would therefore be sidelined for a significant period with recovery. He finally made his professional baseball debut on August 23, 2016, for the Arizona League Dodgers, striking out three and retiring all six batters he faced. He was then promoted to the Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest League on August 28. He appeared in two games for the Loons, making one start, and did not allow a run or a hit in the three innings he pitched.
Buehler began the 2017 season with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League and allowed only three runs in 16+1⁄3 innings over five starts before he was promoted to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers of the Texas League on May 2. While with the Drillers, he made 11 starts with a 3.49 ERA and was selected to appear in the mid-season Texas League all-star game. He was promoted to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers at mid-season where he made three starts before transitioning to the bullpen in preparation for a potential September major league callup. He had a 4.63 ERA in 23+1⁄3 innings for Oklahoma City. At the end of the season, he was selected as the Dodgers minor league pitcher of the year.
Los Angeles Dodgers (2017–2024)
The Dodgers added Buehler to the major league roster for the first time on September 6, 2017, and he made his major league debut that night with two scoreless innings of relief against the Colorado Rockies. His first MLB strikeout was against Charlie Blackmon of the Rockies. He picked up his first major league win with a scoreless inning of relief against the Philadelphia Phillies on September 21. Overall, Buehler appeared in eight Dodgers games in 2017, allowing eight runs in 9+1⁄3 innings (7.71 ERA) with 12 strikeouts and eight walks.
Buehler made his first major league start on April 23, 2018, against the Miami Marlins, pitching five scoreless innings. On May 4, against the San Diego Padres, he took a no-hitter through six innings, with eight strikeouts, until being taken out of the game after 93 pitches. Three relief pitchers combined to finish it off as the Dodgers won 4–0, the first combined no-hitter in franchise history. He was placed on the disabled list on June 21 because of a rib injury. He returned to make an appearance out of the bullpen on June 28 but allowed five earned runs in one inning before returning to the disabled list. On July 13, Buehler made his first start in over a month against the Los Angeles Angels, allowing two solo home runs to Kole Calhoun but no other earned runs. He set a new career high in strikeouts with nine on August 22. After three more nine-strikeout starts, he struck out 12 on September 19 against the Colorado Rockies.
On October 1, Buehler started the NL West Tie-Breaker Game against the Colorado Rockies. He picked up the win, giving up only one hit and allowing no runner to advance past second base. He also got his first career MLB run batted in in his 47th plate appearance. In 24 appearances for the Dodgers (23 starts and one relief appearance) in 2018, Buehler was 8–5 with a 2.62 ERA and 151 strikeouts. In the 2018 NLDS against the Atlanta Braves, he started one game and allowed five runs in five innings; in the 2018 NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers he started two games, allowing five runs in 11+2⁄3 innings; and he threw seven scoreless innings in Game 3 of the 2018 World Series against the Boston Red Sox. Buehler finished third in voting for the National League Rookie of the Year, behind Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto.
On April 11, Buehler hit his first career home run off of Michael Wacha of the St. Louis Cardinals. On June 21, he threw his first complete game against the Colorado Rockies, becoming the first Dodger pitcher with over 15 strikeouts and no walks. He struck out 16 Rockies, giving up three hits on 111 pitches. He was selected to the 2019 MLB All-Star Game, his first all-star appearance, in which he gave up one run in one inning. On August 3, Buehler pitched another complete game, against the San Diego Padres. He struck out 15 Padre hitters and walked none; San Diego's only run was a Manuel Margot solo home run. At the same time he became only the third pitcher in MLB history (after Dwight Gooden and Pedro Martínez) to pitch multiple games with 15 strikeouts and no walks in the same season.
Boston Red Sox (2025)
On December 28, 2024, Buehler signed a one-year contract with the Boston Red Sox worth $21.05 million, plus incentives.
Buehler made his Red Sox debut on March 29, 2025, giving up four runs on seven hits in 4+1⁄3 innings against the Texas Rangers, getting the loss. He earned his first win in a Red Sox uniform in his next start, despite giving up five earned runs on seven hits in 5 innings. Buehler was placed on the injured list (IL) on May 2 due to shoulder inflammation. He returned to action on May 20 against the New York Mets, pitching 2+1⁄3 hitless innings before being ejected by home plate umpire Mike Estabrook for arguing balls and strikes.
Buehler continued to struggle after that incident. In June, he only lasted more than four innings once - a seven-inning performance against the New York Yankees in which he gave up three runs, the fewest runs he gave up in a start in June. His June ERA was 11.07, raising his then season total to 6.45. He was able to reduce his ERA to 5.72 in July, going five innings in three of his four starts, including a seven-inning performance against the Philadelphia Phillies. On July 27, Buehler went 4+2⁄3 innings and gave up three runs on four hits against the Los Angeles Dodgers, his former team.
Buehler's future in the rotation looked uncertain as of early August, as he again failed to reach five innings pitched in another subpar performance against the Houston Astros. But he bounced back with six scoreless innings in his next start against the San Diego Padres - his first scoreless outing all season, aside from the 2+1⁄3 innings he had pitched in May before he was ejected. On August 22, following two more below-average starts, Buehler was moved to the bullpen.
On August 29, Buehler was released by the Red Sox. While the normal routine would have been to designate him for assignment and seek to make a trade, they respectfully wanted to give him a chance to catch on with another team in advance of the playoff roster deadline cutoff. His final numbers with Boston was 7–7 with a 5.45 ERA in 22 starts.
Philadelphia Phillies (2025)
On August 31, 2025, Buehler signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. He made one start for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, where he allowed two runs (one earned) across three innings. On September 12, the Phillies selected Buehler's contract, adding him to their active roster. He made three appearances (two starts) for Philadelphia, posting a 3–0 record and 0.66 ERA with eight strikeouts across 13+2⁄3 innings pitched. He was placed on the team's postseason roster for the NLDS against the Dodgers, but was not used as the Phillies were eliminated in four games.
San Diego Padres (2026–present)
On February 16, 2026, Buehler signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres. On March 25, the Padres selected Buehler's contract after he made the team's Opening Day roster.
Personal life
Buehler has heard the famous roll call scene from the 1986 film Ferris Bueller's Day Off many times throughout his life. Buehler embraced the nickname "Ferris," incorporating it into his Twitter handle and wearing it on his jersey during the 2018 MLB Players Weekend. He chose to wear the nickname "Buetane" for the 2019 MLB Players Weekend.
Buehler is a native of Lexington, Kentucky, the "Horse Capital of the World," home to the Kentucky Horse Park, The Red Mile and Keeneland race courses, and grew up a big fan of horse racing. He has a minority ownership stake in 2020 Kentucky Derby and 2020 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Authentic, trained by Bob Baffert. Buehler attended the 2020 Breeders' Cup Classic.
Buehler began dating McKenzie Marcinek when they were in the eighth grade. They married in December 2021. Their first child, a daughter they named Finley, was born in February 2024.