Former Dodgers prospect Walker Buehler has signed a minor league deal with division rivals, the San Diego Padres.

As reported by MLB's official site, veteran right-handed pitcher Walker Buehler has reached a one-year agreement with the San Diego Padres. The contract is a minor league deal subject to passing a medical exam, with no formal confirmation from the club so far.

The 31-year-old Buehler is the third experienced starting pitcher the Padres have added this week, following signings of Griffin Canning and Germán Márquez. Earlier this month, the Padres also secured veteran lefty Marco Gonzales.

Buehler will compete with JP Sears, Matt Waldron, Randy Vásquez, and Triston McKenzie for a starting rotation spot behind Michael King, Nick Pivetta, and Joe Musgrove.

Since undergoing his second Tommy John surgery in August 2022, Buehler has been striving to regain his early career form as one of the league’s top pitchers. In his first four full seasons with the Dodgers, he made 95 appearances (94 starts), compiling a 39-13 record with a 2.82 ERA, an ERA+ of 146, and a WHIP of 0.99. He finished third in the 2018 NL Rookie of the Year voting, was selected twice as an NL All-Star, and appeared twice in NL Cy Young Award ballots.

Buehler also excelled in the postseason. Over those four seasons, he started 15 playoff games for the Dodgers with a 2.94 ERA. During the Dodgers’ 2020 championship run — their first title in 32 years — Buehler allowed just five runs in five starts, delivering dominant performances in Game 6 of the NLCS against the Braves and Game 3 of the World Series versus the Rays.

Unfortunately, after posting his best career season in 2021, Buehler appeared in only 12 starts in 2022 before landing on the injured list and eventually undergoing right flexor tendon repair and a second Tommy John surgery. His first Tommy John operation came shortly after being drafted 24th overall by the Dodgers in 2015.

Buehler did not return to the mound until May 2024, nearly two years later, but he was no longer the same pitcher. In 2024, he made 16 starts for the Dodgers; in 2025, he started 22 games for the Red Sox on a one-year $21.05 million contract with a mutual option. He was released by Boston in August and then made two starts for the Phillies. Over those two seasons, he posted an 11-13 record with a 5.10 ERA, an ERA+ of 80, and a WHIP of 1.53.

Despite struggling with his form, Buehler still delivered gritty postseason performances during the Dodgers’ 2024 championship run, helping stabilize an injury-riddled starting rotation. After a tough NLDS game against the Padres, Buehler pitched 10 scoreless innings over his final two playoff starts that season and closed out the championship in Game 5 of the World Series.

Although many hoped this would signal a comeback, Buehler’s regular season numbers with the Red Sox and Phillies showed little improvement. In 2025, his strikeout rate ranked better than only 9% of pitchers, and his walk rate was better than just 15%, compared to 65% and 78% respectively in his last full season before surgery. Buehler joined the Phillies’ bullpen for the 2025 NLDS but did not appear in any of the four games, as the team was ultimately eliminated by his former club, the Dodgers.