The Padres will carry Walker Buehler on their Opening Day roster, reports Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. The veteran righty would have been able to request his release tomorrow if San Diego weren’t going to call him up.
Buehler locks in a $1.5MM base salary by breaking camp. His deal also includes up to $2.5MM in active roster bonuses. Acee writes that Buehler and Germán Márquez are expected to round out the season-opening starting five behind Nick Pivetta, Michael King and Randy Vásquez.
The Padres will be without Joe Musgrove for at least a couple weeks after he didn’t recover as hoped from a recent start. Griffin Canning is beginning the season on the injured list as he rehabs last summer’s Achilles tear. Canning threw one inning against Mariners’ minor leaguers on the back fields this afternoon, his first competitive work since the injury (via the MLB.com injury tracker). Matt Waldron, out of minor league options, is also a few weeks behind due to a hemorrhoid procedure. Yu Darvish will miss the entire season after last fall’s elbow surgery.
Buehler is coming off a second straight rough season. He was tagged for a 4.93 ERA with a career-worst 16.3% strikeout rate across 126 innings. He spent most of the year in Boston but was released in August. Buehler caught on with the Phillies to close the season before returning to the open market at year’s end. He had to settle for a minor league deal but found a good opportunity in San Diego given their rotation injuries.
The righty has pitched in three Cactus League games, allowing four runs with 13 strikeouts and four walks over 11 2/3 innings. Buehler has mixed six pitches but is only averaging 92-93 mph on his fastballs. He’ll probably pick up some velocity as he gets into the season. He has some work to do to match last year’s career-low 94 mph mark, to say nothing of the mid-upper 90s heat he had before undergoing his second Tommy John surgery in 2023.
Buehler isn’t the only veteran with an upcoming opt-out decision. Infielder Ty France can also get his release tomorrow if the Padres aren’t going to carry him on the roster. His minor league deal comes with a $1.35MM base salary. Acee writes that the team still hasn’t decided whether they’ll add France or fellow minor league signee Jose Miranda for that spot. Bryce Johnson is out of options and the favorite to win the fourth outfield role, while Nick Castellanos and Luis Campusano have bench spots secure.
France and Miranda have each had big performances this spring. The utility infield spot will go to Sung-mun Song once he’s back from an oblique strain. Intervening injuries could change the picture, but it’d be a cluttered bench no matter who the Padres tab to start the season. France has the service time to refuse any minor league assignment. Miranda is out of options and would need to go on waivers if the Padres try to send him back down after calling him up.
The Padres have one opening on the 40-man roster after waiving Daison Acosta a couple weeks ago. They’re essentially working with two additional free spots. Neither Darvish nor Bryan Hoeing has been moved to the 60-day injured list yet. They’re both out for the season.
In the bullpen, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com relays word from skipper Craig Stammen ruling lefty Yuki Matsui out for Opening Day. The southpaw suffered a left groin strain that kept him from pitching for Japan in the World Baseball Classic. He’ll begin the season on the 15-day IL but could be back in April.
Righty Jason Adam is making his Spring Training debut tonight. He’s trending towards opening on the active roster. Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, Jeremiah Estrada, David Morgan, Wandy Peralta and Kyle Hart all seem assured of bullpen spots. If Adam is healthy, that’d leave one spot available. Ron Marinaccio is out of options and could be the favorite for that reason. Hard-throwing Bradgley Rodríguez impressed late last season, while the Padres have spoken highly of non-roster invitee Logan Gillaspie as a potential long reliever.
Glad to have Buehler on the team
Congrats Buetane!
Keep an eye out for more pitching depth as teams trim their rosters…
Good summary Anthony Franco
Doh!
You can say his last name three times but it won’t make him appear.
Wishing him the best I really hope somehow he can get on track again he was a beast a few years ago. Also crazy that Jose Miranda could make the roster after how bad he did with the Twins last year but he definitely seems to be doing better which is great I always rooted strongly for him.
Today we lost one Walker and gained another.
Here’s hoping Buehler doesn’t get Frye’d.
Would be nice for him to take the mound at Dodger Stadium, for the homecoming he didn’t get last year.
Deserved. I still like Buehler/Marquez as the 6/7 arms once Musgrove and Canning come back (assuming everyone else stays healthy!) Hope Waldron breaks camp as the long man along with Gillaspie because they may need to cover a lot of innings in the early part of the season
Agreed. Though I don’t quite see how they can maintain that depth without losing Waldron outright and then someone to opt outs. But that’s AJ’s problem to worry about not mine!
The revolving IL might be implemented.
I waiting for new ownership and / or Yu to retire so we can go get Giolito.
At these prices, I believe that Walker “tight pants” Buehler will be an unbelievable value for the Pads.
It also wouldn’t shock me to see him get a more player friendly 2+ year extension from the team, during the latter stages of the first half.
The food here is terrible, but it’s a good value.
BSLA
You’re making me miss Taco Bell
BDLA
“The food here is terrible, but it’s a good value.”
If he provides value on the deal, he wasn’t terrible.
Maybe but good
But not terrible
I think you are missing the point of the analogy. Inedible food is never a good value, even if it’s free.
BSLA
“I think you are missing the point of the analogy”
“If he provides value on the deal, he wasn’t terrible.
Maybe but good
But not terrible”
Why do you think I missed the point of the analogy?
If he provides value, he wasn’t terrible
If he’s terrible, he won’t provide value
I was responding to the argument that he will be “an unbelievable value.” Free would be too expensive if he can’t pitch effectively. Hence, the analogy.
TBLA
“Free would be too expensive if he can’t pitch effectively”
Depends what is meant by “effectively”
Put me down for something between “inedible” and “incredible value”
Such a complicated concept. It means being able to throw the ball as far as home plate, obviously.
:sigh:
BSLA
“Such a complicated concept.”
Not really. So, not sure why you seem to be struggling with it
I mean, 150 innings and 1.5 WAR would seem to qualify as effective.
But, how about 80 innings and 0.5 WAR?
120 replacement level innings?
Oh, good grief. Stop already.
Lets see how he pitches the first month before talking about an extension
Might not even stick with the team when Musgrove returns
Musgrove and Canning – he better be doing well to stay. I hope he is.
Buehler?…Buehler?…Buehler?…
Finally
I thought Buehler looked good this Spring. I saw his games on mlbtv.com His Sweeper pitch was effective for him and he wasn’t having any associated pains in his elbow after throwing it! That’s very good news. And a change from last year for him. I wish him the best health. My heart goes out to Walker. This process has to be humbling for him. He’s doing it anyway.
As one Bueller said: Life comes at you fast.
Pobres looking poised to put a stranglehold on 4th place in the NL Weat. Might even break 75 wins
Ok, now they just need to trade the Guardians for David Fry and we can take the Ferris Bueller jokes to the next level. (Are there really no players in the league named Sloane?)
Ryan Sloan in Seattle.
Need a Froman too.
About two weeks from now, the usual RS fans will be in here moaning that we didn’t him.
I hope they have a good bullpen.
Best bullpen in baseball
I don’t know why but I’ve always rooted for this guy. I thought he was going to be really good before the injuries started piling up. He’s just become one of those guys I’d love to see turn the corner so good luck.
Hope he does well.
This guy is baked. Being a part time pitcher in MLB is a nice gig
Not ready to say that he’s ” Baked” But at 31 he’s probably running out of rope at this point.
life long Dodger fan here:
Always some mixed emotions aren’t there? We watch the youngster grow up. Root for all that potential. See him struggle through injuries to deliver the huge win when it was most needed. heroic. He wasn’t dropped from the Dodgers because he lacked MLB level talent or ‘heart’. Making the SD roster proves that. he was dropped because he, without question, no longer has the talent level needed to start for the Dodgers. So I wish him nothing but good luck. I hope he pitches for 5 more years and earns tens of millions of dollars. But if the Padres start him against the Dodgers I think they are making a major mistake. There isn’t a team in baseball that has him better scouted.
He likes big games, as you mentionef in your post. If it lines up, he’ll get a few starts against the Dodgers and those are going to be big games.
NL West is going to be competitive. Padres and the Giants will give them a run this season.
Yes, 2025 didn’t feel competitive but of course it was.
Dodgers had an 8 game lead in July then staggered for a month. The Giants couldn’t take advantage of it. They remained 8 to 10 games behind the rest of the season. By contrast, the Padres were only 3 back on August 1. They just couldn’t make up that last gap. They got within 2 on September 15 but finished 3 out. That’s a competitive division run. Coming into 2026 the Dodgers are improved and deeper. For the Padres to win the division I suspect they need to win 6 to 10 games more than they did last year. I’m rooting for them. Padres and Dodgers scrappin’ away on twin 100 win seasons makes for great baseball.
dr
“Always some mixed emotions aren’t there? ”
No
“Making the SD roster proves that. he was dropped because he, without question, no longer has the talent level needed to start for the Dodgers.”
That makes no sense
It makes no sense because you omit the proceeding sentence.
“He wasn’t dropped from the Dodgers because he lacked MLB level talent or ‘heart’. Making the SD roster proves that.”
dr
He was dropped by the Dodgers because he lacked talent.
He was bad in 2024. He was bad in 2025.
If the Dodgers thought he was going to perform last year, they would have QO’d him.
But if you think it wasn’t talent or heart, why do you think they didn’t re-sign him
JUJZ
We might be saying the same thing. I am saying that the Dodgers didn’t keep him after 2024 because they decided. correctly, that he no longer had the talent to pitch effectively for the Dodgers. He did however have sufficient stuff to continue in the MLB for other teams with less depth and therefore more need. In 2025 Walker pitched, badly, for Boston. Then not that badly for Philly. In 2026 he has proven to have sufficient talent to make yet another MLB starting roster. If he hadn’t been in his walk year he would have been traded, like Brasier. That was about the same time wasn’t it?
Ah
I get you now
Though, his 122 xFIP- says he was on the fringe of being an MLB pitcher last year.
Buehler was a gamble well worth taking. No risk with a decent amount of upside.
So far it is paying off. Hope it continues.
If Walker is in your starting rotation for whatever reason I would be concerned.
I thought he signed a Major League deal with the Friars?
I guess not.
Small sample but 13 k’s over 11 and 2/3’s is a good sign. One of my favorites to ever wear a Dodgers uniform, I think he’s the rare Padre that gets a standing ovation at Dodgers Stadium.
Daison Acosta was optioned not outrighted. He is still on the 40 man with his designation changed to minors on the official team website. I believe they mistakenly said he was outrighted instead of optioned on the teams X account and everyone ran with that. The Padres will need to put Hoeing and Darvish on the 60 day or DFA someone.
They are both out for the season so they will definitely get on 60 day…