Walker Buehler has emerged as one of the most reliable arms in the National League this season, posting a 2.76 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP over his last eight starts. His strikeout rate sits near 21%, while a sub‑2.00 ERA in his last ten outings underscores his consistency. What stands out is a deliberate shift in his pitch mix: the right‑hander has leaned heavily on four‑seamers and sinkers, trimming the usage of cutters, curveballs and changeups.
Buehler's New Arsenal
The increased reliance on his fastball duo has paid dividends, pushing his BABIP down to .290 and lifting his left‑on‑base percentage to 81%. Yet the HR/FB ratio has climbed to 19%, a reminder that even dominant performances carry some risk. Still, the data suggests a pitcher fine‑tuning his approach and capitalizing on a more aggressive fastball philosophy.
Saturday's Spotlight
The weekend slate also featured a carousel of notable outings. Trevor Rogers delivered a shutout that marked his first scoreless effort since March, while Chris Sale combined five and two‑thirds innings of five‑hit, one‑walk baseball with seven strikeouts and a 36% chase rate. Colin Rea matched that efficiency, tossing five and one‑third innings of three‑hit, zero‑walk baseball and a 28% chase rate. Meanwhile, Walbert Ureña continues to hover under a 2.00 ERA, and Joey Cantillo showed a velocity uptick on his four‑seamer, pairing it with a heavy curveball mix. Troy Melton’s early home run was quickly erased as he settled into a six‑frame no‑hit stretch, and Tomoyuki Sugano posted a career‑best six innings of one run, four hits and five strikeouts.