The San Diego Padres brought in right-handed pitcher Walker Buehler on a minor league contract this offseason, though the veteran starter revealed he drew interest from other clubs during free agency.
Among those teams were the Philadelphia Phillies, but Buehler ultimately believed San Diego presented the best situation for him at this stage of his career.
Speaking with Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Buehler explained that the Padres offered him a clearer opportunity to compete for a spot in the starting rotation.
He noted that Philadelphia already has a crowded group of starters and a highly regarded prospect in Andrew Painter expected to push for a role, which made the path less appealing for him.
Because of that, Buehler felt San Diego was the better fit and said he is excited to join the club.
The veteran right-hander is hoping to bounce back after a turbulent 2025 campaign. He opened the season with the Boston Red Sox after signing a $21.05 million contract but struggled, posting a 5.45 ERA over 112.1 innings before eventually being released by the team.
Shortly before the playoffs, Buehler signed with the Phillies and delivered a brief but impressive stint, throwing 13.2 innings with a 0.66 ERA. During the postseason, he faced his longtime team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the NL Division Series, though he did not appear in a game during that matchup.
After the season ended, Buehler once again entered free agency. While his market appeared relatively quiet publicly, the former All-Star indicated that several teams showed interest before he ultimately chose the Padres.
Now in San Diego, Buehler is competing for a spot in the team’s Opening Day rotation. The Padres already appear to have four starters penciled in — Nick Pivetta, Michael King, Joe Musgrove, and Randy Vásquez.
Vásquez, in particular, has been impressive during spring training, tossing 8.2 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and three walks.
He has also struck out eight batters and generated plenty of swing-and-miss with a fastball that has touched around 96 mph.
With the Padres still looking to finalize their fifth starter, Buehler could have a real opportunity to secure the final spot in the rotation. However, the competition remains open, meaning the veteran will need to continue making a strong impression as spring training progresses. ⚾
