Walker Buehler was supposed to open the National League Division Series for the San Diego Padres.
Instead, on Saturday morning, he left the roster for an MLB-approved paternity leave as his wife, McKenzie, was expected to deliver the couple’s second child, via Padres insider Kevin Acee.
The timing is happy for the family and awkward for a club that already has little margin against a Milwaukee Brewers team that won 103 games.
Buehler had been lined up for Game 1 at American Family Field. San Diego Union-Tribune beat writer Kevin Acee reported that the right-hander almost certainly would have taken the ball.
With him unavailable, Randy Vásquez takes the roster spot and left-hander Robbie Ray draws the start. That swap costs the Padres the one starter who already quieted Milwaukee this season.
In August at Petco Park, Buehler allowed one run on three hits over six innings in an 11-2 win.
A player may remain on the paternity list for no more than three days. Monday is an off day after Sunday’s Game 2, so Tuesday, ahead of Game 3 back at Petco Park, is the earliest Buehler can be activated. Manager Craig Stammen has already named Michael King for Game 2 and Nick Pivetta for Game 3.
Buehler, who last pitched on September 26, is more likely to surface in Game 4 or in long relief.
Stammen has been clear that the club does not intend to keep him on the sideline for long. “Walker will play a big role in this series at some point. I don’t know when that is. But he’s got such a playoff pedigree that it will be hard for us to leave him out,” the manager said.
That pedigree is real. The 32-year-old Vanderbilt product was a 2015 first-round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers and a two-time World Series champion. He recorded the first save of his career to close the 2024 clincher against the New York Yankees.
San Diego signed him to a minor-league deal on February 17 and selected his contract on March 25. He went 9-6 with a 4.63 ERA this season, and his career line sits at 66-35 with a 3.69 ERA. In the postseason he is 4-4 with a 3.04 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 94 2/3 innings. He did not appear in the Wild Card sweep of the Chicago Cubs.
The matchup without him is still a stiff one. Milwaukee went 55-26 at home. San Diego finished 91-71 and was 40-41 on the road, though the Padres did take the season series, four games to two.
Jacob Misiorowski, 16-5 with a 1.80 ERA, starts for the Brewers. Ray was 13-8 with a 3.59 ERA overall, but he posted a 5.02 ERA in nine starts after arriving from the Giants at the deadline.
Stammen pointed to the platoon angle: Milwaukee led baseball against right-handers by weighted runs created plus and ranked only 13th against left-handers. San Diego allowed one run while sweeping Chicago, and closer Mason Miller carries a 1.67 ERA into the series.
The Padres were 34-14 when they hit at least two home runs. Milwaukee’s .259 team batting average led the majors. Since August 1, both clubs have won 35 games. If Buehler is back Tuesday, Petco Park is where his October may begin.
