Walker Buehler Gets His Shot At Redemption With the Philadelphia Phillies
Well, well, well. Look who’s back from the dead! Walker Buehler is suiting up in red pinstripes tonight, and honestly, I’m not sure if this is a feel-good comeback story or the baseball equivalent of watching someone try to fix a car with a hammer.
The Philadelphia Phillies officially called up the veteran right-hander from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, and he’s getting the ball Friday night against Kansas City. Now, before you start planning the parade route, let’s pump the brakes and talk about what we’re actually getting here. How will he look?
Buehler’s 2025 Season Has Been a Dumpster Fire
Listen, I’ve seen some rough seasons in my day, but Buehler’s 2025 campaign with Boston was something else entirely. A 5.45 ERA? A 1.558 WHIP? Those numbers make your weekend softball league pitcher look like Cy Young. The Red Sox basically paid him $21 million to learn how to throw batting practice, and even they couldn’t stomach watching it anymore.
The guy who once struck fear into the hearts of National League hitters now has opposing batters licking their chops like they’re at an all-you-can-eat buffet. His strikeout rate plummeted, his walk rate skyrocketed, and somewhere in Los Angeles, Dodgers fans are probably still wondering what happened to their World Series hero. But here’s the thing about baseball – it’s weird, unpredictable, and sometimes guys find lightning in a bottle when you least expect it.
What Can Philadelphia Realistically Expect?
The Phillies aren’t signing Buehler, expecting him to turn into Walter Johnson overnight. They’re hoping for a guy who can eat innings, maybe give them five or six decent frames, and not completely torch their playoff hopes in the process.
Remember, this is the same pitcher who helped close out the World Series for the Dodgers less than a year ago. Yeah, he’s been terrible in 2025, but talent doesn’t just evaporate into thin air. Sometimes it takes a change of scenery, a different pitching coach, or just getting away from the pressure cooker that was Boston this season.
The Phillies are moving to a six-man rotation, which actually might be perfect for Buehler. Less stress on his arm, more time between starts, and hopefully a chance to find whatever mojo he lost somewhere between Los Angeles and Boston.
Is he going to single-handedly carry them to a championship? Probably not. But if he can give them even replacement-level production, that’s better than what they had before. And who knows? Maybe there’s still some magic left in that right arm.
The Bottom Line On Buehler’s Philadelphia Debut
Tonight’s start against Kansas City feels like one of those moments where anything could happen. Buehler could look like the pitcher who dominated in October, or we might witness another chapter in his 2025 book of horrors.
Either way, you’ve got to respect the guy for not giving up. Getting released by Boston had to sting, but here he is, ready to take the ball again. That’s the kind of moxie you want to see from veterans. The Phillies are four games away from clinching a playoff spot, so the pressure’s off in terms of must-win situations. It’s the perfect laboratory for Buehler to see if he can rediscover what made him special in the first place.
