Padres end Walker Buehler’s scoreless outing after just 68 pitches

The San Diego Padres delivered a dramatic 5-2 home win vs. the Colorado Rockies on Friday night, but the focus inevitably remained on pitcher Walker Buehler and his puzzling early exit. In the first game of a three-game set between the Padres and Rockies at Petco Park, San Diego’s pitching staff excelled behind Buehler before a late walk-off victory sealed the outcome.

The Padres’ right-hander turned in his best start of the 2026 season in his third outing, allowing just three hits over six shutout innings. The 31-year-old struck out four without issuing a walk and needed only 68 pitches, 50 for strikes, to complete the outing.

Buehler set the tone early, facing 20 batters and generating an 8-to-2 ground-ball-to-fly-ball ratio while working efficiently through the lineup. The outing marked his first quality start after a rough opening stretch, during which he allowed seven earned runs over 6.2 innings for a 9.45 ERA.

Despite his efficiency, manager Craig Stammen went to the bullpen after six innings, a decision that quickly drew attention as the two-time World Series champion had just retired the side in order.

The Talkin’ Baseball podcast posted about the moment on X, formerly Twitter, showcasing the dominance of Buehler’s outing in real time.

“Walker Buehler goes six shutout innings on just 68 pitches”

Walker Buehler goes six shutout innings on just 68 pitches pic.twitter.com/Cu7yfGnomv

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 11, 2026

Relievers Keaton Hart and Adrian Morejon surrendered two runs in the eighth frame, erasing a 2–0 lead and costing Buehler a win. The Padres answered immediately, as Gavin Sheets launched his second home run of the night—a three-run shot—to secure a 5–2 walk-off victory. Buehler settled for a no-decision, but his commanding outing signaled clear progress and strengthened his standing in the rotation.

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