Walker Buehler’s September 15 start at Coors Field was the kind of outing that can look sturdier on paper than it really felt in real time. He got through 4 2/3 innings, the Padres were still ahead when he left, and only two runs were charged to him. But it took 92 pitches to get 14 outs, and the line underneath it all was hard to ignore: seven hits allowed, one walk and just one strikeout.
The bullpen handled the rest poorly, turning a one-run lead into a 9-3 loss to the Rockies. That finish doesn’t land on Buehler alone.
Even so, the larger takeaway from his night is clear enough. It was another short start when the Padres needed length, and it didn’t do much to help his case for a postseason rotation spot.
That matters more now because Nick Pivetta has changed the picture.
After missing nearly five months with a right elbow flexor strain, Pivetta came off the IL and threw five scoreless innings on 63 pitches in his first start back. He allowed two hits, didn’t walk anyone and showed the kind of efficiency Buehler has struggled to deliver consistently.
In his next outing, he gave up two runs with five strikeouts and no walks over four innings in San Francisco. Through two starts, he’s at nine innings, two runs and zero walks.
It’s a tiny sample, but it has already shifted the competition.
Pivetta still has to rebuild his workload. Robbie Ray and Casey Mize are still in the mix, too.
Michael King has basically locked down the closest thing this staff has to a sure thing. Beyond that, every start is an audition, and Buehler is no longer sitting comfortably in front of the pack.
There’s still a real case for him. Buehler has lived in big moments throughout his career, and that October track record carries weight for a Padres team that has high odds of being dropped right into a short Wild Card Series. If the decision comes down to a close call, his postseason background could matter.
But history can only carry so much. Buehler has made 30 starts this season and helped steady a rotation that spent months getting battered by injuries, and that kind of durability deserves credit.
The problem is the performance. A 4.58 ERA is not making the choice any easier.
The Padres are trying to pick a postseason starter, not reward a résumé. They need someone who can work through innings, hold down a lineup multiple times and keep Craig Stammen from reaching for the bullpen phone too early. Against a Rockies team playing out a lost season, Buehler managed one strikeout and has now completed three innings only once in his last two starts.
Pivetta has taken away any automatic assumption about the spot. That’s where things stand now. Buehler is chasing, and the final call should come down to who is pitching best right now, who can give the Padres the most length and who can spare a taxed bullpen a little more breathing room.
In Other News...
Padres Suddenly Have A Postseason Decision Fans Did Not Expect
The Padres weekend took a sharper turn than anyone expected when a 9-3 loss to Colorado nudged their wild-card position and put a little more pressure on every remaining roster call. On top of the scoreboard setback, the organization also parted ways with eight players, a group that included seven pitchers and a shortstop from the Dominican Summer League, underscoring how much housekeeping can happen even as the focus shifts toward October.
Craig Stammen also added another layer to the late-season picture by saying rookie catcher Ethan Salas may get postseason playing time, a possibility that would have seemed unlikely not long ago. Mason Miller, meanwhile, offered an injury update after getting hit by a 101-mph ground ball, leaving the Padres with a few health and depth questions to sort through as the bracket picture and roster decisions continue to come into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Loss Revived A Frustrating Question Fans Know Too Well
The Padres looked like they were in decent shape early in Denver, getting home runs from Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Campusano to grab the kind of start that usually travels well. But the Rockies flipped the game in a hurry, and a five-run sixth inning changed everything on the way to a 9-3 Colorado win that snapped San Diegos winning streak.
Craig Stammen did not try to spin the result, even while pointing to the teams recent run of play as a reason for perspective. Still, losses like this tend to drag an old question back into the conversation for Padres fans, especially when an early lead disappears in a place where the game can unravel fast and leave everyone wondering what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Are Sending Ethan Salas A Message Fans Will Notice
Ethan Salas rise through the Padres system has moved fast enough to make anyone stop and take notice. After earning a promotion to Triple-A on the strength of a strong Double-A stretch, the young catcher reached the majors when rosters expanded Sept. 1, and the organization has continued to treat him like a player with real long-term value. Manager Craig Stammen and Manny Machado both have voiced confidence in Salas, a sign the club views his development as more than just a short-term audition.
The early results in the big leagues were predictably bumpy, with Salas going 0-for-14 before breaking through with his first major league hit, a triple. In doing so, he became the youngest player since Machado to hit that milestone, a reminder of just how unusual his path already has been. For the Padres, the message is clear enough even without being spelled out: Salas is here to learn, but he is also being asked to show he can matter sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]