Walker Buehler completes the Dodgers' victory in the 2024 World Series

NEW YORK – Out of nowhere, two days later at Yankee Stadium, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called on Walker Buehler – his pitcher in Game 3 – to throw the final three outs of a decisive World Series victory.

And no one seems to remember when it was decided Buehler would be available.

“I just talked to him and said I'll be down there if you need me,” Buehler recalled after the Dodgers' dramatic 7-6 win in Game 5. “In the sixth inning.”

“Seventh inning,” Roberts said. “He just said he would be available.”

“The fact that Walker wanted the ball in that situation — I saw him in the fifth inning when he went down [to the bullpen] with his glove and that look in his eyes,” said World Series MVP Freddie Freeman.

You know what? Maybe it's better this way. All good October legends have a touch of mysticism. The point is this: Buehler was virtually unavailable to pitch on Wednesday. And then, somewhere in the middle of the inning, suddenly he was.

Out of necessity more than anything else. The Dodgers had gotten just four outs from starting pitcher Jack Flaherty. They had used a bullpen game the night before. Roberts was forced to use his arms with the most leverage to cover key failures early. That included a spectacular 2 1/3 scoreless innings by right-hander Blake Treinen.

The Dodgers were virtually out of pitchers. They had lower-leverage options available to them — but all of those relievers struggled in Tuesday's bullpen game. Buehler was slated to start a potential Game 7, but he hadn't played a bullpen session between starts.

“That,” Roberts said, “was our last bullet.”

Buehler would be asked to face the bottom of the Yankees order. Maybe a good lead. But one mistake and he would find himself in the gauntlet at the top.

Instead, Buehler retired those 7-8-9 hitters in order. Anthony Volpe failed weakly on a curveball to ground. Austin Wells swung and missed a curveball for third. When Alex Verdugo did the same thing — on another curveball — Buehler raised his glove hand and his pitching hand to the sky. His teammates streamed out of the dugout and mobbed him.

“I feel like,” Buehler said, “I should be in these spots.”

Not that Buehler's reputation for his heroics in October needs any further boosting. After struggling through a difficult regular season in which he posted a 5.38 ERA in 16 starts, he secured his status as a big-game pitcher.

“That’s basically all I care about,” Buehler said earlier this week. “It kind of makes the regular season worth it for me.”

Buehler entered the 2024 playoffs with a career postseason ERA of 2.94 and 101 strikeouts. Still, he might not have pitched at all that postseason if other Dodgers starters hadn't suffered multiple injuries.

Instead, he pitched four scoreless innings against the Mets in Game 3 of the NLCS and then five scoreless innings against the Yankees in a Game 3 win. But Buehler had never appeared in relief in the postseason. Until Wednesday evening.

When he made the save, Buehler joined a shortlist of eight players – since saves became an official statistic in 1969 – to record both a win and a save in the same playoff series (a list that includes teammate Clayton Kershaw heard). . Famously, the last pitcher to do this in a World Series was Madison Bumgarner for the Giants in 2014.

“The experience, the pedigree — we were all there at that point, and he wanted the baseball,” Roberts said. “I just had a feeling he wasn't going to run from the start. I just felt like he was the best option.”

It had been more than six years since Buehler last pitched in a game in relief. His last save? More than seven years ago, with Triple-A Oklahoma City on August 13th. That summer, the Dodgers brought Buehler, then a highly touted prospect, into their bullpen because they thought he could bolster their playoff push. He posted a 7.71 ERA in eight appearances and did not make the playoffs.

“I’m a little different,” Buehler said, “when I was 23.”

Bühler has been through a lot since then. He underwent a second Tommy John surgery and did not return until May. When he did that, the longevity of his fastball wasn't quite there yet. He struggled through the summer and into September.

Then came the playoffs, and as Buehler said before Game 3 began, “There’s something different about the playoffs.”

So different that Buehler turned to President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman on Wednesday afternoon with an idea:

“Earlier in the day, Walker said, 'Hey, if things go wrong, I'll be available in the 'Horse,'” Friedman said. “And I say, 'Yeah, yeah, Walker.' And then in the sixth inning I thought, “That’s the definition of wonky, right?”

“The way he competes — we can only hope that in future drafts we get guys that compete the way Walker Buehler did.”

Friedman may have to find some. Buehler is scheduled to become a free agent this winter. If this was his final appearance as a Dodger, he will go down as legendary.