Dave Roberts Has High Hopes for Walker Buehler's Game 3 Start for Dodgers

How will Buehler do in his Game 3 start?

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler will look to rebound when he gets the start in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets. He will also try to help the Dodgers rebound from a tough performance from the bullpen game on Monday, in which the Dodgers gave up seven runs to the Mets.

Buehler started Game 3 of the NL Division Series, and allowed seven hits, six earned runs, and one walk with no strikeouts against the San Diego Padres. Buehler's start versus the Padres did not look great on paper, but all of the runs he allowed came in the second inning. This, of course, ended up costing the Dodgers the game in the 6-5 loss, but Buehler did not allow any runs in the four other innings he pitched.

"I think that certainly it's about results," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Buehler's last start. "We didn't play good defense behind him. I was very pleased to see that he came out of that outing knowing that he was throwing the baseball really well. He kept us in the ball game. Gave us two huge innings in innings four and five."

Roberts added, "Again, the results are the results, but the way he was throwing the baseball, the confidence that he had -- and that's something, for me, he's taking confidence from that outing and that's a good thing because that's what I saw from him that night."

Buehler has had an inconsistent season since returning from the injured list after nearly two years away from the mound. Over 16 starts this season, Buehler went 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA and 64 strikeouts.

Roberts believes that Buehler can put in a great postseason despite these struggles over the course of the regular season, acknowledging that Buehler was coming back from a major surgery this season.

"Absolutely. I think he's showing that," Roberts said. "His last four outings have been his best by far ... This is a guy that's coming off surgery. So the year after a surgery, there's an adjustment period, kind of trying to get the feel and really kind of get your feet back and understanding who you are as a pitcher coming out of surgery."

Buehler will get the start on Wednesday in New York, when the series continues.