Walker Buehler’s sudden revival gives Padres doubters a harsh reality check

For a while there, it felt like the only San Diego Padres starter capable of lasting past the fifth inning was Michael King. In fact, the team went more than two months without a quality start from non-King pitchers, until Randy Vasquez finally broke that curse in early August.

More than anything, volume has been a major issue for the Friars' rotation this season. Just three pitchers -- King, Vasquez, and Walker Buehler -- have completed even 100 innings, putting the bullpen in the unenviable position of having to handle a massive workload throughout the summer. That certainly doesn't bode well for the playoffs, when a tired relief corps might as well be a death knell to a team's championship hopes.

And yet, the tide may finally be turning. King followed Vasquez's performance with a quality start of his own against the Astros, while trade deadline acquisition Casey Mize shut down the Brewers earlier this week over six strong innings. Now, Walker Buehler has joined the club, authoring his first six-frame start since June 3.

Walker Buehler is undergoing a metamorphosis that can only benefit Padres

Sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers -- who entered the series with the best record in baseball -- was sweet enough. Those victories have launched the Padres back into wild-card position, with an inside track on the No. 5 seed in the National League.

That those wins were fueled by the much-maligned rotation makes it all the sweeter. Mize got the series started with his aforementioned quality start, and Buehler followed in game two with his own gem. Over six innings, he held the potent Brewers to just three hits and two walks, striking out five en route to a one-run performance.

That's obviously the highlight of his summer, but the veteran right-hander has quietly been quite solid for some time. In three August starts, he's logged a 3.14 ERA and 3.99 FIP, benefitting from a newfound commitment to keeping the ball on the ground; over half of the contact he's allowed in each of those outings has been of the groundball variety, adding up to an enormous 54.2% groundball rate over this stretch.

Considering he's no longer striking guys out in the volume he once did with the Dodgers, this is exactly the type of evoluion Buehler needed to undergo to remain relevant. It's true that underlying metrics, like his SIERA (4.67) do forecast some imminent regression, but he'll get away with a lot of mistakes if he can keep hitters from putting the ball in the air.

Between a resurgent Buehler, a consistent King, a (potentially) improved Vasquez, and two big trade deadline acquisitions (Mize and Robbie Ray), the Friars can actually field a legitimate starting rotation for the first time all year. Factor in returns from one or both of Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove, and you have a group capable of pitching their way deep into October, especially if Buehler's recent success proves sustainable over the long haul.

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