The San Diego Padres have thrown another intriguing name into their spring training rotation mix, agreeing to a minor-league deal with two-time World Series champion Walker Buehler. The 31-year-old right-hander, once an ace for the Los Angeles Dodgers, now finds himself fighting for a roster spot in a crowded Padres pitching staff—a turn of events that would have seemed almost unthinkable just a few years ago.
Buehler's deal, which remains pending a physical as of February 17, 2026, arrives at a time when Padres President of Baseball Operations and General Manager A.J. Preller is doubling down on roster depth following his own contract extension. The move marks a return to the National League West for Buehler, who starred for the Dodgers from 2017 through 2022, sat out the 2023 season after his second Tommy John surgery, and then bounced between the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies in a tumultuous 2025 campaign.
The Padres' rotation battle is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in the league this spring. Buehler will compete with veterans like Triston McKenzie, Matt Waldron, Germán Márquez, JP Sears, Marco Gonzales, and possibly even Griffin Canning—himself coming off an Achilles injury. The Friars already have three rotation locks in Nick Pivetta, Michael King, and Joe Musgrove, while Randy Vásquez has been the presumed No. 4 starter but now faces pressure from a host of new arrivals. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, "San Diego continues to stockpile potential back-end starters."
For Buehler, this opportunity with the Padres is both a shot at redemption and a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in Major League Baseball. Once among the most dominant pitchers in the game, Buehler dazzled with a 2.82 ERA and a 39-13 record from 2018 through 2021, earning two All-Star nods and finishing in the top ten of Cy Young voting twice. He was a postseason stalwart, boasting a 2.94 ERA across 15 playoff starts for the Dodgers and delivering clutch performances in October—most notably during the Dodgers' title runs in 2020 and 2024.
In the 2024 World Series, Buehler's heroics included five shutout innings in Game 3 against the Yankees and a perfect ninth inning in Game 5 to clinch the championship for Los Angeles. As Sports Illustrated recounted, "Buehler threw five shutout innings in Game 3 before recording the final three outs in Game 5 to secure Los Angeles’ championship." He also delivered a strong start in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Mets, further cementing his reputation as a big-game pitcher.
But the high of those moments has given way to a challenging road back to form. After his second Tommy John surgery in August 2022, Buehler missed the entire 2023 season and struggled to regain his old dominance upon returning. In 2024, he posted a 5.38 ERA over 16 starts for the Dodgers, his velocity and command diminished. The following year, he signed a one-year, $21.05 million deal with the Red Sox, but the results were disappointing: a 5.45 ERA in 22 starts and one relief appearance, leading to his release in August 2025.
Buehler then latched on with the Phillies, making three appearances (two starts) and allowing just one run over 13 2/3 innings—a glimmer of hope, but with only eight strikeouts in 57 batters faced, his diminished stuff was evident. His strikeout rate plummeted from a pre-surgery 27% to just 17.2%, while his walk rate climbed from 6.3% to 9.8%. The fastball, once a weapon, averaged 94 mph last year—down nearly three miles per hour from his 2019-2020 peak. Opponents slugged .553 against it, and the spin rates on both his four-seamer and knuckle-curve have dropped sharply.
"It’s obviously disappointing," Buehler said after being moved to the Red Sox bullpen in 2025. "It’s the first time in my career that I’ve been in a situation like that, but at the end of the day the organization and to a lesser extent myself, kind of think it’s probably the right thing for our group and it gives me an opportunity to kind of reset in some ways." (as quoted in the New York Post).
Despite the setbacks, Buehler's career numbers remain impressive. He owns a 57-29 record with a 3.52 ERA and 846 strikeouts over 839.2 innings. Even in his diminished state, he managed a combined 10-7 record with a 4.93 ERA across the Red Sox and Phillies in 2025, with 92 strikeouts in 126 innings pitched. His postseason pedigree is hard to ignore, and his 7-1 record with a 1.67 ERA in 13 starts against the Padres over his career is a tantalizing stat for San Diego fans hoping for a comeback story.
The Padres, for their part, are hedging their bets. Buehler's minor-league deal comes with no guaranteed salary or roster spot, and he will have to outpitch a slew of competitors during camp. As an Article XX(b) free agent, he has opt-out dates built into the contract—he can trigger an out clause five days before Opening Day, on May 1, or on June 1, 2026, if the Padres don't add him to the active roster. This flexibility allows both sides to reassess as the season approaches.
San Diego's rotation depth has been a major storyline this offseason. Alongside Buehler, the Padres have brought in Griffin Canning and Germán Márquez on big league deals, and Marco Gonzales, Triston McKenzie, and Matt Waldron are all in the mix either as non-roster invitees or 40-man roster options. The team is clearly determined to avoid being caught short-handed, especially after last year’s injury woes and inconsistent performances from the back end of the rotation.
For Buehler, the challenge is clear: prove he can still get outs at the highest level. His velocity is now league average, his swing-and-miss stuff has diminished, and his command is not what it once was. Yet, at just 31 years old, there remains hope that a healthy spring and a new environment could spark a career resurgence. The Padres aren’t risking much by giving him a look, and if he can tap into even a fraction of his former self, it could be one of the shrewdest moves of the offseason.
As spring training gets underway, all eyes will be on Buehler and the fierce competition for what is likely just one available rotation spot. Will the former World Series hero find his groove in San Diego, or will the next chapter of his career take him elsewhere? For now, the Padres and Buehler are both betting on a fresh start and the possibility of one more magical run.