A six-man starting pitching rotation has been on the mind of manager Rob Thomson and certainly other higher ups in the Phillies organization for quite some time now. Friday, it will finally come to fruition as Walker Buehler, signed August 31, will make his Phillies starting debut when the team faces the Kansas City Royals.
Buehler, 31, spent seven of his eight major league seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers before signing with the Boston Red Sox before this season. In his time with the Dodgers, Buehler was a two-time All-Star (2019 and 2021) and was 47-22 with a 3.27 ERA. For Boston this season he went 7-7 with a 5.45 ERA. He started 22 of his 23 games before being released on Aug. 29.
“The biggest thing is trying to fit in,” said Buehler. “This rotation is deep and talented. I hope I can contribute in some way and kind of get back on my feet a little bit and hopefully capture a good month, month and a half here and help us win this thing. At the end of the day this rehab, as weird as that sounds being two years healthy, it takes time. Different voices, different cues, different training methods, all of it can kind of hopefully unlock it and certainly I think I threw the ball a little bit better, have been throwing the ball better than I was. I feel good about it.”
Buehler had one start with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs and went three innings, allowed one earned run on five hits, one being a home run. He threw 78 pitches, 47 for strikes.
“He was really happy with his outing in Lehigh,” said Thomson. “Felt like he fixed a couple things, just getting the feel back for his fastball coming out of his hands and ready to go tomorrow. Command, really. Attack the zone. Just be himself.”
Buehler, who recorded the last out of the World Series clinching Game 5 for the Dodgers last season, had some bites from other teams but just had a feeling that Philly was his best bet.
“It boiled down to two or three at the end. For me largely about the role and the competitiveness of the team. Both those boxes were checked here. Obviously, excited to join a team that’s playing as well as we are.
“The talent is immense, the culture is really good. You have a lot of guys pulling on the same string. In my experience I think culture is a big part of it. You have a lot of guys on this team who are very comfortable with their career and their role, in terms of whatever I need to do to help us win one, I will do. Which isn’t always the case. Not every team is like that. All the talent is one of the biggest factors in who wins at the end and I think this team here is talented enough.”
As for postseason plans for Buehler, Thomson wasn’t ready to commit to anything. “We have to get there first and he has to be pitching well,” he said. “The fact that he does like the spotlight, or it doesn’t bother him, anyway, and he’s been there before, that’s a bonus. He’s done it before so hopefully he can do it again.”
Painter’s plan
Top pitching prospect Andrew Painter had a solid outing Wednesday as he gave up just three hits, no runs or walks and struck out six in his five innings. Thomson said that he will make his next, and last, start on Wednesday. As for the plans after that, the club will see if Painter could be part of a postseason plan.
“I actually watched the game and it was a lot better than he’s been. Fastball command was a lot better. His stuff was really, really good. It was a good bounce back. He’ll go again next Wednesday and be the same thing, probably a five-inning limit.”
An update on Turner …
Injured shortstop Trea Turner has been diligently working to heal his strained hamstring, with the hopes to maybe get some time back with the team before the playoffs.
“He’s here every day getting treatment. He got in the pool today to move around a little bit and he said he feels really good, surprisingly.”
Asked if any running has been done by Turner, Thomson said, “Not yet.”
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