by Rowan Kavner
Dodger pitcher Walker Buehler has been named the National League Pitcher of the Month for the first time in his career.
Buehler, who became the first Dodger pitcher to take home the monthly honor since Hyun-Jin Ryu in May 2019, was 3–0 with a Major League best 1.67 ERA over five starts in July. He posted a 0.90 WHIP, struck out 38 batters in 32 1/3 innings and didn’t allow a homer during the month, logging four straight quality starts to finish out July.
During those last four starts, Buehler allowed three runs in 27 1/3 innings (0.99 ERA) while holding opponents to a .161 batting average. He went at least seven innings in each of his last three starts and has gone seven innings nine times in his 20 starts this year. The second-time All-Star has gone fewer than six innings just once all season and has called that his “new minimum.”
“This is my fourth season here; I think the days of trying to go five innings and do well and get a win are gone for me,” Buehler said in June. “We’ve obviously had some real success and gone to a World Series, and I want to continue that.”
For the year, Buehler is 11–1 with career bests in ERA (2.19) and WHIP (0.90). He has 139 strikeouts and 31 walks in 135 2/3 innings over 21 starts.
“I think Walker’s always been a big game pitcher,” said Justin Turner. “We’ve seen it year in and year out, in the postseason, in Game 163, him stepping up, taking the ball and getting big outs for us. I think where I’ve seen him grow the most is in the not big game, taking the ball and competing and being efficient and getting deeper into games. I think that’s something he’s taken a lot of pride in and really worked hard on, and I think you’ve seen that this year, him pitching deep into games every time he takes the ball.”
Walker Buehler named National League Pitcher of the Month was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
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