Padres' Walker Buehler begins NLDS on paternity leave

Oct 03 (Field Level Media) - Major League Baseball announced Saturday that San Diego Padres right-hander Walker Buehler has ​been placed on the postseason paternity list.

During the two-time All-Star's absence, right-hander Randy Vasquez will be on the active roster for the National League Division Series against the Brewers, which ‌begins Saturday night in Milwaukee.

Buehler, 32, is permitted to be away from the Padres for one to three days. Upon his return, ⁠he will replace Vazquez on the NLDS roster.

"Exciting ​time for him and his wife to be ⁠having a baby this weekend, happens to be during the Division Series, which is exciting," San ‌Diego manager Craig Stammen said ‌prior to Game 1. "Don't have any word on what's going on yet but it ⁠could happen at any moment. I'm sure there will be ⁠stuff that comes out when it does happen. But excited for the Buehler family."

Game 1 of the best-of-five series would have been Buehler's turn in the rotation. He held the Brewers to one run on three hits in six innings in an 11-2 victory in San Diego on Aug. 11.

Game 2 is Sunday in Milwaukee. The earliest Buehler can pitch is Game 3 ‌when the series shifts to San Diego on Tuesday night.

Left-hander Robbie ​Ray is the Padres' scheduled starter for Game 1, followed by right-hander Michael King for Game 2.

Ray will be opposed by hard-throwing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski (16-5, 1.80 ERA), who leads the majors in ERA and strikeouts (252 in 174 2/3 innings).

Buehler's wife, McKenzie, is expected to give birth to their second child on Saturday, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Their daughter, Finley, was born in January 2024.

Buehler stayed behind in San Diego when the club traveled to Milwaukee.

"I think we didn't ​want Walker having to pitch on a possible day of the birth of his child and miss that," Stammen ‌said. "I think it ‌made sense that ⁠he's able to stay in San Diego and allow that to happen and not having to worry about pitching and that going on at the same time."

Buehler was 9-6 with a 4.63 ERA in 32 starts in his first season with the Padres. A two-time World Series champion with the Los Angeles ‌Dodgers, Buehler did not pitch in ​the NL wild-card sweep against the Chicago Cubs.

He is ‌4-4 with a 3.04 ERA ⁠in 19 appearances (18 starts) ​in the postseason.

Vasquez, 27, was 10-6 with a 3.90 ERA in 32 games (23 starts) this season for San ​Diego.

(--Field Level Media)

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