Former Vanderbilt Baseball Pitcher to Start Game 3 of World Series for Dodgers
A former Vanderbilt Commodores baseball player is about to take the biggest stage of them all on Monday.
It was announced by Dave Roberts, manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers that former Vanderbilt starting pitcher Walker Buehler will get the start for Game 3 of the World Series against the New York Yankees.
The game will be the first in this year’s Fall Classic to be in the Bronx, as the Dodgers began the series on the West Coast in Los Angeles. The Dodgers will arrive in New York with a 2-0 series lead after two impressive wins at Dodger Stadium this past weekend.
Buehler has not had the best season for the Dodgers. The right-hander has struggled to regain his former All-Star caliber form since suffering an injury in 2022 that resulted in Tommy John surgery.
The Lexington, Kentucky native missed all of last season recovering and did not have the return he was looking for this season. He finished the 2024 regular season with a 1-6 record and a 5.38 ERA. He allowed 16 home runs and only recorded 64 strikeouts over 75.1 innings of work.
He started rough in the postseason as well after allowing six runs across five innings against the San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series. Roberts gave him another chance in the next round against the New York Mets, however, and he redeemed himself. The former first-round pick in the 2015 MLB Draft went four shutout innings and struck out six batters across four innings in Game three of the NLCS.
He will have another opportunity to do so on Monday, which could be his final start as a Dodger. Buehler is a free agent once the season comes to an end and could find his services needed elsewhere as he is likely to sign a ‘prove it’ deal after the season he is coming off of.
Buehler's start will be a first, as he has never pitched at Yankees Stadium in his MLB Career.
"I've never thrown here, so that will be exciting. Game 3 in the World Series, it doesn't get more exciting than that." - Walker Buehler pic.twitter.com/qTeqR3NzFg
— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) October 27, 2024
"I've never thrown here, so that will be exciting. Game 3 in the World Series, it doesn't get more exciting than that," said the former Vandy right-hander.
The Dodgers pitcher is also looking for the weather to cooperate with him. He believes it will be crucial to his success on the mound, as the colder weather helps with the movement of his pitches.
“I think the weather and the stadium has something to do with it,” Buehler said. “I said before that game [NLCS vs. Mets], I like pitching in the cold, so I am hoping it gets down there a little bit.”
The forecast for the beginning of the game is predicted to be 52 degrees, mostly clear with a slight breeze.
The first pitch for the World Series is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET on Monday. The Dodgers look to extend their lead to 3-0 in the best-of-seven series. The game will be available nationally on Fox.
