Overview
- Buehler earned his first win against the Los Angeles Dodgers as a San Diego Padre in a 7-1 victory at Petco Park on Friday, working 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run, striking out five and giving up three hits.
- After the game he said he wants to compete hard against every team, telling reporters, "I want to kick everyone’s [butt]. I want to beat everyone," while also saying there was no bad blood with his former club.
- Buehler framed his move away from the Dodgers as pragmatic after Tommy John surgery and uneven results, saying free agency gave him a clearer role and a fresh opportunity to rebuild his career.
- He and the Padres have adjusted his usage to focus on five-to-six clean innings rather than pushing for 100 pitches, a strategy intended to protect his arm and maximize bullpen support.
- The outing boosts San Diego’s rotation depth and NL West prospects, and reports say Buehler is likely to make his next start at Dodger Stadium on July 2, which the club has not formally confirmed.