A year after Walker Buehler threw the clinching pitch of the World Series, the Phillies are enlisting his help to win the National League East — and maybe more.
The Phillies signed Buehler to a minor-league contract on Sunday and sent the 31-year-old righty to triple-A Lehigh Valley. They will move to a six-man rotation in two weeks, at which time they intend to call up Buehler for a Sept. 12 start at home against the Royals, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said.
And because Buehler joined the organization before Sept. 1, he will be eligible for the postseason.
“He’s been a very successful major league pitcher, still has a good arm,” Dombrowski said. “This year hasn’t been as good for him as some other years, but we still like a lot of his stuff. We think we see some things that can hopefully help him.”
Buehler became available Friday when he was released by the Red Sox after posting a 5.45 ERA with 55 walks in 112⅓ innings over 22 starts. He’s a low-cost flier for the Phillies, who will pay him roughly $130,000. Boston is on the hook for the rest of the $3 million that remains on his one-year, $21.05 million contract.
The Phillies presented their plan to Buehler and his agents on a Zoom call over the weekend. Dombrowski, general manager Preston Mattingly, assistant GM Ned Rice, and manager Rob Thomson were joined on the call by pitching coach Caleb Cotham, who, like Buehler, went to Vanderbilt, a connection that helped the Phillies’ recruiting effort.
“When they talk, they talk a different language,” Dombrowski said of Cotham and Buehler. “It was really a connection between the two of them.”
Buehler went 16-4 with a 2.47 ERA for the Dodgers and finished fourth in the National League Cy Young race in 2021. But he had a second Tommy John elbow surgery in 2022 and didn’t pitch in 2023. He has a 5.42 ERA in 38 starts since returning to the mound last season.
But Buehler also has considerable postseason experience as a two-time World Series winner with the Dodgers. He has a 3.04 ERA in 19 career playoff games, including a 3.60 mark last season. He pitched five scoreless innings in Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium, then a scoreless ninth inning in Game 5 to close it out.
» READ MORE: Nick Castellanos says the Phillies’ outfield rotation is ‘a big adjustment.’ Rob Thomson gets his frustrations.
The Phillies planned to use a six-man rotation two weeks ago before Zack Wheeler was lost for the season. They’ve been looking for sixth-starter candidates, internally and externally, ever since, according to Dombrowski.
Andrew Painter might have been an option if not for his struggles in triple A after missing two seasons with a torn elbow ligament that required Tommy John surgery. The 22-year-old top prospect gave up six runs on nine hits and three walks in six innings Thursday night, leaving his ERA at 5.36 ERA in 19 triple-A starts.
Does the addition of Buehler close the door on Painter’s chances of making his major league debut this season?
“I’m not going to set anything in stone,” Dombrowski said. “This is our tentative plan at this point. But we also know that things can happen.”
The Phillies expect Buehler to start Saturday for Lehigh Valley as a tune-up before his Sept. 12 start. Dombrowski said the Phillies haven’t discussed Buehler’s role beyond that start. The Red Sox tried to move Buehler to the bullpen before releasing him last week.
But the Phillies also had a firsthand look at Buehler’s best start for the Red Sox. He allowed two runs (one earned) in seven innings July 21 at Citizens Bank Park.
Dombrowski said Cotham has ideas for how Buehler can be more effective.
“We’re very excited to have him because we think he makes us better,” Dombrowski said. “It puts us in a position where we’re trying to do anything we can to a qualify for the postseason, and then if we can make it, to do anything we can to win.”
Mayza comes home
In another move to add pitching depth before the playoffs, the Phillies claimed lefty reliever Tim Mayza off waivers. He will join the team Monday and be added to the expanded September roster.
Mayza, 33, had a 2.89 ERA in seven appearances for the Pirates before going on the injured list with left forearm inflammation. He made four minor-league appearances this month before being cut loose by the Pirates.
An Allentown native, Mayza could give the Phillies a third lefty reliever in the postseason behind Matt Strahm and Tanner Banks. José Alvarado isn’t eligible for the postseason after being suspended for failing a drug test in May.
To open a spot on the 40-man roster for Mayza, the Phillies transferred Wheeler to the 60-day injured list. Wheeler is awaiting surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome.
» READ MORE: Tim Mayza gave up Aaron Judge’s 61st home run. Why his moment of failure was actually a triumph.
Extra bases
The Phillies honored Billy Wagner before the game against Atlanta. Wagner, the Phillies’ closer from 2004-05, was inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in July. … Shortstop prospect Aidan Miller is expected to rejoin double-A Reading on Tuesday after missing four games for personal reasons, according to a team source. … Taijuan Walker (4-7, 3.63 ERA) will start the series opener at 4:10 p.m. Monday in Milwaukee against rookie right-hander Jacob Misiorowski (4-2, 4.33).
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