Walker Buehler reveals Yankees' psychological tactics before Game 3 of World Series
World Series champion and free agent Walker Buehler spoke about his postseason experience this year.
The pitcher played a key role in the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation as they beat the New York Yankees in the Fall Classic. Buehler opened up on some of the psychological tactics he faced before Game 3 of the series at Yankee Stadium:
On The Just Baseball Show, Buehler shared his experience playing at the famed Yankee Stadium and mind games played against him. The Dodgers headed to the Bronx with a 2-0 series lead, and Walker Buehler was the starter in Game 3.
However, the stadium lights were switched off for the Fat Joe performance before the game, which interrupted his warm-up routine. Eventually, he went on to pitch five scoreless innings as the Dodgers secured a 4-2 victory. Buehler said:
"I don't know how intentional this was or who made this decision. ... they turned off the entire stadium lights, including the bullpen, from 7:02 until 7:13. They did not turn the lights back on until the Yankees went on to the field.
"So, there was like 8 or 10 minutes that I needed to throw about 12 more pitches that the catcher could not see the ball, so I could not throw it. I could not throw a single ball."
Walker Buehler, selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2015 MLB Draft, made his major league debut in 2017. Having established himself as a capable pitcher, he signed a one-year deal with the Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season and ended it as one of the team's heroes.
MLB insider backs the Chicago Cubs to sign Walker Buehler this winter
Heading towards the final week of December, there's still no update on Walker Buehler's free agency this offseason. While it looks like the Los Angeles Dodgers might not re-sign him, many other teams have been linked to the pitcher.
Amidst the rumors, Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer has predicted that the Chicago Cubs will sign Buehler on a three-year, $45 million deal with opt-outs after each season.
While Buehler hasn't been consistent over the years, his heroics with the Dodgers last year were noteworthy. He pitched some big innings in the postseason and delivered in clutch moments when the team needed him the most.