You don’t usually call up a two-time All-Star in September and ask him to audition. But welcome to Philadelphia, where Walker Buehler’s new chapter begins Friday night.
Not long ago, he was a Red Sox experiment gone wrong — a 7-7 record, a 5.45 ERA, and a quiet exit from Boston. Now, he’s the Phillies’ newest wild card, dropped into a rotation that doesn’t exactly need saving but might welcome a little extra firepower for the stretch drive.
Buehler got his warm-up act in Triple-A: 78 pitches, five hits, three walks, five strikeouts, and just enough rust to remind him this comeback isn’t automatic. Still, he’s here, wearing red pinstripes in September, talking about respect for the place and relief for the fresh start.
“Obviously, it didn’t work out in Boston, and I’m super excited to be here,” Buehler said.
So now the Phillies — already one of the hottest teams in baseball, with eight wins in their last nine and a magic number of five to clinch the East — will juggle six starters. That means rest for Jesús Luzardo, Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez, and Aaron Nola, and maybe a reminder to the rest of the league that Philadelphia’s playoff arsenal is deeper than you thought.
And let’s not forget Thursday’s exclamation point: Luzardo retiring 22 straight Mets, Otto Kemp driving in three runs, and the Phillies completing a four-game pounding of their rivals that turned the NL East into a one-team race.
While the Phillies sharpen for October, the Royals arrive clinging to wild-card math that barely works anymore. Kansas City has dropped four of five, including a deflating loss in Cleveland on Thursday when C.J. Kayfus’ eighth-inning homer turned Stephen Kolek’s gem into heartbreak.
On Friday, Kansas City hands the ball to an old Philly friend — Michael Lorenzen. You might remember him as the guy who threw a no-hitter for the Phils in August of 2023 against the Nationals. But the numbers since this year? A 5-10 record, a 4.63 ERA, and, in his most recent outing, a pair of homers surrendered to Byron Buxton and Kody Clemens.
So here we are: Buehler’s first pitch as a Phillie, Lorenzen’s return to Citizens Bank Park, and two franchises heading in opposite directions. For Philadelphia, it’s about fine-tuning before October. For Kansas City, it’s about survival.
And for Buehler? It’s about rewriting a season that once looked lost.
Pitching Matchups
Friday: RHP Walker Buehler (7-7, 5.45) vs. RHP Michael Lorenzen (5-10, 4.63)
Saturday: RHP Taijuan Walker (4-8, 4.03) vs. RHP Ryan Bergert (2-2, 3.48)
Sunday: RHP Aaron Nola (4-8, 6.24) vs. LHP Noah Cameron (7-7, 3.00)
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‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.philadelphiabaseballreview.com ’
