A pitcher taking a loss is never fun.
Reigning World Series champion and current Boston Red Sox pitcher Walker Buehler had to deal with that on Saturday, May 31. He took the loss against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in a 5-0 shutout. The Vanderbilt alum allowed five runs on 10 hits, walked two, and struck out six over 5.2 innings.
Walker Buehler Has High Goals
“I’ve had, what? Eight or nine starts. I think three of them have been really bad and the rest have been in line with how I’ve pitched in my career in terms of output,” Buehler said postgame in the locker room. “Obviously, I like to punch more guys [out], I like to put up less runs … there’s things I want to improve on — [Saturday] included.”
Walker Buehler reflects on his start & his season ⬇️
“I got to pitch better and help us more than I have been… trust the guys here a lot to keep steering me in the right direction.”#RedSox pic.twitter.com/vAmo8knZJo
— NESN (@NESN) May 31, 2025
Buehler has had a strong career and a decent run of starts before a brief IL stint earlier in May. He went 3-0 in his last three starts and gave up no more than three runs in four straight outings.
“I’ve got to pitch better and help us more than I have been,” Buehler also said.
He has a 4.44 ERA through his first nine starts with the Red Sox, tallying 42 strikeouts in 46.2 innings.
“… I think last year, I struggled pretty bad and I had no idea what was happening or what I could improve, and I think every start’s had a little bit of something different that maybe I think helps going forward. I’m definitely more optimistic than I was last year, and I trust the guys here a lot to kind of keep steering them in the right direction,” the team-oriented pitcher said.
“Physically, I feel fine. Today was probably the hardest I’ve thrown in a start in years. With all the (stuff) we look through on velocity and spin and all that stuff, sometimes you kind of realize it’s not all about that,” Buehler said. “Not that I feel like I was trying to overthrow, I just had good velocity today. Obviously, it didn’t work out for me and for the team.”
After playing for the Arizona League Dodgers, Great Lakes Loons (High-A), Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (California League), Tulsa Drillers (Double-A), and the Oklahoma City Dodgers (Triple-A), Buehler made his MLB debut in September 2017. Before that call-up, he was named the Dodgers’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
Since reaching the majors, Buehler has been a two-time All-Star and won two World Series titles. He also won a College World Series at Vanderbilt.
He’s earned all that success while coming back from two Tommy John surgeries.