Dodgers: Time to See if Walker Buehler is Ready For the Big Stage

The Dodgers were defeated 7-2 by the Brewers last night.  The loss sets up a win or go home game with Walker Buehler on the mound for the Dodgers.

The Dodgers are no stranger to big game sevens and they will get one more later on today for the decisive game seven that determines who goes on to face the Red Sox in the World Series.  The Dodgers will send their electric young fireballer Walker Buehler to the mound in a big test for the talented young starter.

This will be Walker Buehler’s third postseason start although his start in game 163 was essentially a playoff start as it helped the Dodgers secure another division title.  Buehler started game three of the NLCS for the Dodgers and lost although he pitched well until the seventh inning.  Buehler pitched seven innings allowing four runs and struck out eight Brewers.  Buehler had only allowed two runs until the seventh inning when he gave up two more runs.

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Buehler’s lone start in the NLDS was a rough one as he gave up five runs including a grand slam to Ronald Acuna.  Buehler did show some poise and settle down after the grand slam which is something most young pitchers would have failed to do.  Now comes Buehler’s biggest test of his young career as he is tasked with getting the Dodgers back to the World Series.

In his first start against the Brewers this series, it was Orlando Arcia who recorded two hits and delivered a two run bomb in the seventh inning to put the Brewers ahead 4-0.  The rest of the Brewer lineup scattered it’s hits against Walker and nobody else had a big game.  Buehler has had a tendency to over throw this postseason so he will need to relax and trust his stuff.

The key for Buehler will be getting out of the first inning unscathed and settling into a groove early on in the game.  The Dodgers must jump out to an early lead and Buehler will then have to limit the Brewer lineup that awakened itself last night.  The Brewers will have Josh Hader available for at least three innings most likely so it’s pivotal that the Dodgers jump ahead early and that Buehler doesn’t give any runs up in the first few innings.

The results Walker Buehler gets will not matter as much if the offense is once again shut down like it was last night.  The middle of the lineup went 0-14 which cannot happen again this afternoon if the Dodgers plan on making it to a second consecutive World Series.  Regardless of what happens this afternoon, the Dodgers will get to see what walker Buehler is made of.