The Philadelphia Phillies were once again unable to secure additional starting pitching depth, as right-hander Walker Buehler opted to sign elsewhere. Buehler, 31, agreed to a minor-league contract with the San Diego Padres on Monday, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, despite speculation that he could have been a reasonable low-risk option for Philadelphia.
San Diego has been aggressive in recent days, adding Nick Castellanos, German Márquez, Griffin Canning, and now Buehler to its roster mix. However, Buehler joins a crowded competition that includes Randy Vásquez, Canning, Márquez, and JP Sears, with only two rotation spots realistically up for grabs. While not an ideal landing spot, it presents at least a clearer opportunity than Philadelphia could offer.
The Phillies’ projected rotation already features Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, Aaron Nola, Taijuan Walker, and top prospect Andrew Painter, with Zack Wheeler expected back within the first two months of the season following thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. At best, Buehler would have slotted in as the sixth or seventh starter on the depth chart.
Although it may appear the Phillies are missing out as arms like José Quintana, Aaron Civale, José Urquidy, Márquez, and Buehler find new homes, the front office could still explore late-spring additions. Roster crunches around the league often produce unexpected availability, and a veteran starter may emerge as a viable option before Opening Day.
Buehler is no longer the dominant force he was with the Dodgers from 2018 – 21, when he posted a 39-13 record with a 2.75 ERA and 0.98 WHIP across 94 starts. Last season, he logged 126 innings with a 4.93 ERA, though underlying metrics suggested regression including a modest 6.6 strikeouts per nine innings and an elevated 4.4 walks per nine.
He did, however, show flashes late in the year after briefly joining the Phillies in August. Following a mid-September recall, Buehler allowed just one run over five innings and later delivered two additional scoreless appearances. That stretch earned him a spot on the Phillies’ NLDS roster, though he did not pitch in the four-game series loss to the Dodgers.
Remaining free-agent starters include Lucas Giolito, Zack Littell, Frankie Montas, Max Scherzer, Anthony DeSclafani, Tony Gonsolin, Tyler Anderson, Patrick Corbin, Nestor Cortes, and Wade Miley. Only a few of those pitchers are realistic minor-league candidates, meaning Philadelphia may ultimately be best served by waiting for a veteran squeezed out elsewhere rather than forcing a move now.
