SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres have signed former All-Star pitcher Walker Buehler to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. The deal gives the 31-year-old right-hander a chance to compete for a spot in the team's rotation as the Padres continue to bolster their pitching depth ahead of the 2026 season.
Buehler, represented by Excel Sports Management, joins a crowded field of arms vying for back-end rotation roles. The Padres recently agreed to major league contracts with pitchers Griffin Canning and Germán Márquez over the weekend, positioning them ahead of Buehler in the pecking order. Canning, who suffered an Achilles tear in June, is expected to start the season on the injured list but could slot into the rotation once recovered.
The Padres' Opening Day rotation already features three established starters: Nick Pivetta, Michael King, and Joe Musgrove. First-year manager Craig Stammen suggested last week that right-hander Randy Vásquez holds an advantage for the fourth spot following a strong finish to his 2025 campaign. On the 40-man roster, Márquez, Canning — assuming he regains health — and JP Sears emerge as leading candidates for the fifth starter position. Matt Waldron, also on the roster, lacks options after a challenging year in Triple-A.
Buehler's addition as a non-roster invitee places him alongside fellow pitchers Triston McKenzie and Marco Gonzales in the mix. As an Article XX(B) free agent with six years of service time and time spent on an MLB roster last season, Buehler benefits from opt-out clauses in his contract. Under the collective bargaining agreement, he can opt out five days before Opening Day, on May 1, or June 1, provided the deal was signed at least 10 days prior to the season start. This structure allows him to test the waters in San Diego or seek opportunities elsewhere if a roster spot doesn't materialize during the final week of spring training.
Once a cornerstone of the Los Angeles Dodgers' rotation, Buehler earned two All-Star nods and established himself as a borderline ace from 2018 through 2021. His career took a downturn after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery in 2022, which sidelined him for the entire 2023 season. Upon returning in 2024, he posted a 5.38 ERA over 16 regular-season starts, though he shone in the postseason, culminating in a scoreless inning to close out the World Series for the Dodgers.
That October performance prompted the Boston Red Sox to sign Buehler to a one-year, $21.05 million free-agent deal in the offseason, betting on a resurgence. However, the experiment faltered. Buehler struggled with a 5.45 ERA across 23 appearances for Boston, prompting discussions of a bullpen shift before the team released him at the end of August. He then signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, where he made three late-season outings, allowing just one run in 13 2/3 innings but striking out only eight of 57 batters faced, a mere 14% rate.
Advanced metrics underscore Buehler's challenges. Opponents hit .277 against his four-seam fastball with a .553 slugging percentage, exploiting a dip in his average velocity to 94 mph — down a tick from 2025 and nearly three miles per hour below his 2019-2020 peak. Spin rates on his four-seam fastball and knuckle-curve have plummeted since his prime, reducing his ability to generate swings and misses both in and out of the zone. Hitters have adjusted better to his offerings outside the strike zone, contributing to a career-high 10.8% walk rate last season.
Despite these red flags, Buehler's age and lingering velocity offer a glimmer of hope. The Padres, under no obligation to guarantee a roster spot or salary, view the signing as a low-risk evaluation during spring training. "The Padres are adding Walker Buehler on a minor league contract," Acee reported, highlighting San Diego's strategy of stockpiling veteran options without significant financial commitment.
This approach aligns with the team's broader efforts to fortify their pitching staff amid uncertainties. Canning's injury recovery remains a wildcard, while Márquez brings his own history of Tommy John surgery in 2022, though he has shown signs of rebounding. Vásquez's late-2025 surge included a sub-3.50 ERA over his final 10 starts, earning Stammen's nod. "Vásquez has a leg up on the fourth starter role after a solid finish last year," the manager implied in comments to reporters last week.
Buehler's journey from Dodgers phenom to journeyman reflects the toll of elbow surgeries on pitchers. His first Tommy John procedure came in 2015 as a prospect, but he rebounded spectacularly, posting a 2.77 ERA from 2018-2021 with 555 strikeouts in 510 1/3 innings. The second surgery, however, has proven more stubborn, mirroring cases like those of Stephen Strasburg or Noah Syndergaard, where full pre-injury form has eluded returnees.
In Philadelphia, Buehler's brief stint provided a taste of redemption. He limited hard contact and induced ground balls at a career-high clip, but the low strikeout totals raised questions about his swing-and-miss arsenal. Analysts point to biomechanical changes post-surgery as a factor, with Buehler's release point shifting slightly, affecting command.
For the Padres, who finished the 2025 season with a middling rotation plagued by injuries, depth is paramount. General Manager A.J. Preller has aggressively pursued reclamation projects before, with mixed results — think Yu Darvish's success versus the flameouts of others. Buehler's postseason pedigree could appeal if he recaptures even 80% of his former self, potentially serving as a swingman or spot starter.
Spring training in Peoria, Arizona, begins in late February, giving Buehler roughly six weeks to impress. The competition will be fierce, with non-roster invitees like McKenzie — sidelined by his own Tommy John in 2024 — and Gonzales, a lefty veteran, also in the fray. Sears, acquired in a trade last July, impressed with a 3.92 ERA in 12 starts after joining San Diego.
Should Buehler falter, his opt-out dates provide an exit strategy, possibly leading to another contender's camp or an international opportunity. MLB teams have shown interest in bounce-back stories before, and at 31, Buehler's experience remains valuable. The Padres, meanwhile, maintain flexibility; if he thrives, they gain a proven winner at minimal cost.
As the Friars aim to contend in the loaded National League West, this signing underscores their philosophy: talent identification without overcommitment. Buehler's arc — from World Series hero to free-agent afterthought — serves as a cautionary tale in baseball's unforgiving landscape, yet one that could yet turn inspirational in San Diego.