Walker Buehler reacts to the unforgettable feeling of winning World Series for Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler got the opportunity to cap off a near-perfect season for the Blues in game five of the World Series at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night. With the Dodgers leading in the bottom of the ninth, Buehler put paid to any plans the Yankees had of a potential comeback, as he struck out Alex Verdugo to end the game, cuing wild celebrations in the visiting dugout.
Following the big win, Walker Buehler took to X to react to a perfectly timed photo of his reaction after throwing arguably one of the biggest strikes of his career.
"W." Buehler simply captioned the image.
Though the game ended with celebration, the beginning was cause for huge concern. After the Yankees stayed alive in the series with a huge 11-4 victory over the Dodgers the previous night, they raced to a 5-0 lead by the end of the third on Wednesday.
After looking like they might go out with a whimper after the end of three games, it suddenly seemed like the Yankees might give the Dodgers a tough series after all.
However, the Dodgers did what champions do and dug deep to somehow tie up the game in a crazy fifth inning, undoing all of Yankees ace Gerrit Cole's prior good work.
Though the Yankees did retake the lead in the sixth, the Dodgers struck the telling blow with a two run eighth inning and ultimately held on to win the game and the World Series, courtesy of spotless innings from Blake Treinen and Walker Buehler.
Walker Buehler proved his worth to the Dodgers when it mattered most
After missing a large portion of the regular season due to injury and sometimes struggling on the mound when he was fit, several questions were raised regarding Walker Buehler's place in the Dodgers' pitching staff and whether he still was a reliable option.
As key pitchers such as Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow and Gavin Stone were forced to watch the entirety of the postseason from the sidelines, the pressure on the shoulders of the few fit pitchers left, such as Walker Buehler, Jack Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, only increased.
Once again, like he did in 2020, Buehler turned up when it mattered most for his team.
Given the start for the third game of the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium, the 30-year old pithced a gem, allowing only two hits, striking out five and giving up no runs in five innings of stellar work. To add to that, he also expertly held his nerve in the ninth inning of game five to hold the Yankees scoreless and seal the Dodgers' title.
There are players that seem to turn into a different beast when postseason baseball comes around. The Dodgers have their fair share of such players in their squad, such as Kike Hernandez and Tommy Edman. Having now showcased his value in two World Series winning seasons, Walker Buehler has proven that he belongs on that list too.