Another WS gem from big-game Buehler has LA win away from title

NEW YORK -- Two months ago, all Walker Buehler could do was hope. As he went through one of the worst stretches of his career coming off a second Tommy John surgery, Buehler wasn’t sure he would have a spot in the Dodgers’ postseason rotation.

Then Tyler Glasnow was lost for the season. Clayton Kershaw followed. Gavin Stone later completed the devastating trifecta. But as the Dodgers were dealt blow after blow, they maintained optimism that Buehler would be ready for the moment.

The moments Buehler hoped for not long ago have all come throughout the Dodgers’ postseason run. Each time, Buehler has answered with exactly the performance the team needed.

On Monday, Buehler continued to cement his big-game pitcher reputation, becoming the latest Dodgers starter to stymie the Yankees’ offense, delivering five scoreless innings in the 4-2 win in Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium.

“Walker was fantastic,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “I think, if you take out that second inning [against the Padres in the NL Division Series] where we didn't play good defense behind him, he would have thrown up nothing but zeros in the postseason. Tonight, I thought his stuff was as good as it’s been all year.”

With the victory, the Dodgers are one win away from sweeping the Yankees and securing their first full-season World Series title since 1988. In all best-of-seven postseason series, teams taking a 3-0 lead have gone on to win the series 39 of 40 times (98%), including 31 sweeps. Just two teams down 3-0 have even forced a Game 7: The 2020 Astros, who lost to the Rays in the ALCS, and the 2004 Red Sox, who beat the Yankees in the ALCS.

• Dodgers-Yankees World Series Game 4 FAQ

“He’s been great all postseason,” Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux said about Buehler. “He threw four or five different pitches for strikes, mixing it up great. His slider was great, landing his curveball, his cutter. In big games, you just trust him that he’s going to go out there and give you his best stuff. We shouldn’t be surprised by it.”

Indeed, perhaps they should not have been -- Buehler now has a 0.50 ERA in three career World Series starts (one earned run in 18 innings). Yet there were times this season when Buehler didn’t have much to work with on the mound. At one point, Buehler even questioned if he was going to be able to regain some of the attributes that turned him into the Dodgers’ staff ace before the 2022 season.

It took him a couple of months to start getting in a rhythm and understanding that he couldn’t do all the things he was able to do before surgery.

Against the Yankees, Buehler had everything working. The command with his four-seamer was arguably the best it's been all season long. Buehler threw 34 heaters, getting six swings and misses on the pitch. He then used his curveball, cutter and sweeper combination to keep the Yankees’ hitters off balance just enough.

Outside of a pair of walks to Gleyber Torres, Buehler had no trouble getting through the first three frames. Buehler didn’t allow a hit and punched out five, including four in a row. In the fourth, Buehler got some help from his defense as Teoscar Hernández made a perfect throw to nab Giancarlo Stanton at the plate to end the frame.

“At least long term for me, to get through the playoffs in the way that I have, it’s really encouraging for me, personally, because I know it’s in there and I’ve just got to unlock it a little bit,” Buehler said. “But that feeling of there’s an organization relying on me today to win a playoff game, I think it’s kind of the weight that I like feeling and kind of gets me in a certain place mentally that it’s kind of hard to replicate.”

• Shohei Ohtani starts, scores run in G3: 'Really appreciate him posting'

Coming into the World Series, all the attention was on the two star-studded lineups. For some, the Yankees appeared to have an advantage in the starting rotation. After all, the Dodgers only have three starters and have leaned on bullpen games more than any other team.

But through three games, L.A.’s rotation has stolen the show. With Buehler’s five scoreless innings, Dodgers starters have a 1.62 ERA over 16 2/3 innings. The Yankees, on the other hand, have a 6.00 ERA over 12 innings following Clarke Schmidt’s three-run, 2 2/3-inning outing in Game 3.

“Pitching is what’s going to win in October,” said Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the first. “We had the best record in all of baseball and you’re not going to do that without pitching during the course of the regular season. I think those comments were outside noise. I think we believe and our guys believe in this locker room. They’ve shown it all season long.”

Now going into Game 4 with a chance to wrap up the organization’s eighth World Series title, the Dodgers will have all of their high-leverage relievers ready to be deployed in a bullpen game. Los Angeles is still sorting through its starting options, but Brent Honeywell is expected to take down multiple innings.

Everything is set up the way the Dodgers hoped. And they’re here thanks in large part to what Buehler was able to give them.

“I’m excited to watch our guys go tomorrow and see what happens,” Buehler said. “I’ll be ready if there’s a Game 7. But my hope is that I don’t have to throw anymore.”