LOS ANGELES DODGERS STARTING PITCHER
Walker Buehler
Age: 30 (7/28/1994)
Birthplace: Lexington, KY
School: Vanderbilt University
Drafted: 14th Round in 2012 by PIT (Did Not Sign)
Drafted: 1st Round (24th) in 2015 by LAD
2024 Regular Season: 12-6, 3.47 ERA
2024 Postseason: 0-1, 6.00 ERA
Postseason Performance
Buehler has made two starts this Postseason, going 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA (6 ER/9.0 IP). He allowed six runs on seven hits with one walk and no strikeouts in Game 3 of the Division Series against San Diego on October 8th. It was his first Postseason start since 2021 when he took the mound in Game 6 of the NLCS. He has not registered a Postseason win since October 23, 2020 in Game 3 of the World Series against Tampa Bay. He took the ball in Game 3 of the NLCS, allowing three hits across 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing two walks with six strikeouts.
- 10/8 at SD: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO (77 pitches, 52 strikes)
- 10/16 at NYM: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 SO (90 pitches, 51 strikes)
Against the Yankees
Will face New York for the first time in his career.
On the Road Again
Went 0-2 away from Dodger Stadium this season, pitching to a 6.53 ERA (22 ER/30.1 IP) in seven starts. Has never started at Yankee Stadium. Is making his third road start of the Postseason. He has made one start as the road team in the World Series, earning the win in Game 3 of the 2020 Fall Classic against Tampa Bay at Globe Life Field.
Regular Season
Returned from Tommy John surgery on May 6th after missing the entire 2023 season. Made
12 starts for the Dodgers, spending nearly two months on the Injured List from June through August with a right hip injury. Took the win on May 18th against Cincinnati as he tossed 6.0 scoreless innings in which he allowed just three hits with seven strikeouts. Made his return from the IL on August 14th at Milwaukee as the Dodgers lost 5-4. From that point on, Los Angeles was 5-3 when he toed the rubber.
Show Me What You Got
Buehler relies on seven pitches (2024 stats):
- 4-Seamer – 29.0%, .242 opp. AVG
- Cutter – 20.8%, .238 opp. AVG
- Knuckle Curve – 19.2%, .278 opp. AVG
- Sinker – 16.3%, .291 opp. AVG
- Sweeper – 8.2%, .121 opp. AVG
- Changeup – 5.2%, .455 opp. AVG
- Slider – 1.3%, 1.000 opp. AVG
Been Here Before
Buehler is making his 18th career Postseason start, which are second-most in Dodgers’ history behind only Clayton Kershaw (32 GS). Among active players, Buehler’s 17 Postseason starts are tied with Charlie Morton for fifth-most behind Justin Verlander (37); Kershaw (32); Max Scherzer (25); and Gerrit Cole (21).
NEW YORK YANKEES STARTING PITCHER
Clarke Schmidt
Age: 28 (2/20/1996)
Birthplace: Acworth, GA
School: University of South Carolina
Drafted: 1st Round (16th ) in the 2017 by NYY
2024 Regular Season: 5-5, 2.85 ERA
2024 Postseason: 0-0, 3.86 ERA
Postseason Performance
Schmidt has made two starts this Postseason, going 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA (4 ER/9.1 IP). He allowed two runs on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work in Game 3 of the ALDS against Kansas City. Allowed two runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts in Game 3 of the ALCS at Cleveland.
- 10/9 @ KC: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO (60 pitches, 34 strikes)
- 10/17 @ CLE: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO (63 pitches, 39 strikes)
Against the Dodgers
Will face Los Angeles for the first time in his career.
Home Sweet Home
Went 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA (20 ER/40.0 IP) at Yankee Stadium in the regular season and has not pitched at home this Postseason. Took the win in back-to-back home starts on April 4th and May 4th.
Regular Season
Started the season in the Yankees rotation, making 11 starts to begin the season, going 5-3 with a 2.52 ERA (17 ER/60.2 IP) through May 26th. Was place on the 15-day IL after that start and transferred to the 60-day IL after suffering a right lat strain. Returned to the Yankees rotation on September 7th, going 0-2 with a 3.65 ERA over his final five starts of the season. He has not thrown more than 6.0 innings since he threw 8.0 shutout innings of three-hit ball on May 16th at Minnesota.
He allowed three runs-or-fewer in 15 straight starts from March 31st-September 24th and two runs-or-fewer in 10 of those games. His 15 straight starts of three runs-or-fewer was tied for the longest streak by a Yankees starter in their first 15 starts of a season in franchise history (also: Ron Guidry’s 15GS from 4/8-6/22/78).
The Arsenal
Schmidt relies on five pitches (2024 stats):
- Cutter – 35.0%, .256 opp. AVG
- Sweeper – 25.2%, .210 opp. AVG
- Sinker – 21.0%, .267 opp. AVG
- Knuckle Curve – 18.2%, .143 opp. AVG
- Changeup – 0.6%, .667 opp. AVG
Good Company
When he toes the rubber, Schmidt will become the first Yankees starter aged 28-or-younger to start a World Series game since 28-year-old Andy Pettitte took the ball in Game 5 of the 2000 World Series.
