Steve Webb
BRONX, NY — Ahead of his World Series Game 3 start against the Yankees in New York, Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler shared his thoughts on various aspects of the upcoming game and reflected on his career experiences. Buehler discussed insights from fellow Dodgers pitchers Jack Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who both performed well in Games 1 and 2. “All three of us being right-handed certainly helps,” Buehler noted. He emphasized that success in the series is about “weaving what we do well versus what they don’t do so well,” and he felt that both Flaherty and Yamamoto“did a really good job of kind of going to their strengths when they needed to.”
Buehler expressed excitement about starting in Yankee Stadium, acknowledging the significance of the moment. “I’ve never thrown any game other than Game 3 in the World Series, so kind of familiar that way,” he said. Despite pitching at Yankee Stadium being a new experience for him, he was looking forward to it, remarking that “Game 3 of the World Series—it doesn’t get more… exciting than that.”
When asked about the potential impact of weather conditions on his pitching, Buehler mentioned that different factors, such as “the weather” and “the stadium,” could influence pitch movement. Reflecting on past experiences, he noted, “I like pitching in the cold,” and hoped that conditions would be cooler for the game. He was focused on maintaining his “swing-and-miss” capability by “trying to throw good pitches in good counts.”
Buehler acknowledged the historical significance of the Dodgers-Yankees matchup and how it is a dream scenario for many players. “We’ve heard a lot this week from your teammates… about when they’re 5 years old, when they’re a kid, this is what they dream about,” a reporter remarked, referencing the storied rivalry. Buehler shared that sentiment, saying, “This whole thing has been… right, this year in particular, but kind of my career in general. This is my third World Series, and… I think anybody… would be happy to have played in three of them.”
Drawing on his extensive postseason experience, Buehler reflected on the mental aspect of pitching in big games, noting that it is “just learning kind of how to embrace that.” He admitted, “It hasn’t always worked out very good, but… it’s kind of the same game just on a little bit bigger stage.”
Buehler also spoke about Shohei Ohtani’s impact on the team, emphasizing his value as “probably the best baseball player in the world.” Ohtani’s presence, according to Buehler, “frees up some of the other guys to kind of play with a little less pressure or a little more freedom.” He praised Ohtani for being “awesome in our clubhouse and… for our team,” citing both his on-field performance and the positive influence he brings to the roster.
Though Ohtani hasn’t been part of the pitching rotation this year, Buehler admitted to asking him “about the splitter all the time,” though he humorously added that he hasn’t quite been able to master the pitch the way Ohtani has.
Buehler will face off against Clarke Schmidt in Game 3 on Monday night, first pitch is 5:08 PDT. Walker will be looking for a second straight solid start in the Big Apple. Let’s go!
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