NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: BRAVES VS DODGERS

October 19, 2021

Walker Buehler

Will Smith

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Postgame 3 Press Conference

Los Angeles Dodgers - 6, Atlanta Braves - 5

Q. Walker, I know your curve ball and slider weren't biting quite as much as you're used to. What was going on out there today?

WALKER BUEHLER: Yeah, there's days where nothing seems to be working, kind of is what it is. At some point you have to be better the next one. And, yeah, I don't really have an explanation at this point.

But really, really big for our team, our bullpen, our offense to pick me up. We were down for a long time in that game and to kind of, for lack of a better term, resurrect ourself and come through, I think is huge for our team and huge for me. Going home tonight throwing the way that I did and losing is something that's hard to deal with, but our team finds a way to make it happen and I get to go home happy that we won.

Q. Walker, you started the game solid until like Gavin Lux wasn't able to catch that ball in the center field. The attitude kind of changed. Was that a big distraction? Everything changed after that.

WALKER BUEHLER: No. At the end of the day I have the ball in my hand and me and Will kind of control the game and control what we want to do, and I didn't execute a lot of pitches after that, so it is what it is. Gavin is extremely talented and has been put in a position that's extremely difficult in that he's playing a position he's never played before for September and now in the playoffs. And in talking to him after the game I think he's going to learn a lot just on how to make that specific play from that one, it just so happens that it happens at this time of year and everyone's going to be watching it. Gavin's confident enough and talented enough to handle that kind of stuff.

So that inning is on me, not on him, not on the umpire, not on anything like that. I think the other thing is he made a huge play in the first inning that kind of changed the whole complexion of the game right from the jump. So we have no issue and no lack of confidence in Gavin.

Q. Walker, when pitching on short rest I've heard some people say that maybe that it kind of it's not that start that you make on short rest, but that it will, that fatigue might kind of set in later.

WALKER BUEHLER: I had a week in between starts, so I don't really think that has anything to do with it.

Q. The sickness, illness that you had?

WALKER BUEHLER: I'm fine.

Q. Walker, I know it's not news that Freddie Freeman is a good hitter, but when he's so willing and capable to take pitches on the outside corner, even off the outside corner the other way, how difficult just does that make it for the pitcher?

WALKER BUEHLER: I mean, I would prefer for him to do that than hit a home run.