​  Jun 26, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Walker Buehler (10) delivers during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park. SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The pitching from the San Diego Padres (43-37) continues to be a major reason why they sit six games over .500 after defeating the LA Dodgers (52-30) 7-1 on Friday night.Pitching, along with the bat of Ty France, who has been one of the Padres’ most consistent hitters this season, led the way.It started with Walker Buehler, who got his first chance to face his former team while wearing a Padres uniform.Before Friday night’s game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked whether he thought Buehler would enjoy beating LA.”He would love nothing more than to shove it up our you know what,” Roberts said.Buehler was asked after the game about Roberts’ comments. He made it clear he has “no bad blood” toward the organization, loved his time in Los Angeles, and ended his Dodgers career on a high note by recording the final out of the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees. Then his competitive side took over.“I want to kick everyone’s ass,” Buehler said. “I want to beat everyone, especially in the division, and especially a team that has been so successful against the organization I’m with now. I want to be a part of turning that around, and I certainly don’t want to lose to them. Doc is not wrong.”Buehler pitched 5.1 innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, three walks, and striking out five on 74 pitches. Padres manager Craig Stammen felt it was the right time to turn the game over to the bullpen.“He likes to let me know he’s not happy on the mound, and then when we get back in the dugout, he’s already cooled off,” Stammen said.The Padres starter has embraced his new role.“I think I’ve kind of changed from trying to throw 120 pitches and all that to in owning the game to just kind of trying to get through the five to six innings and hand it off to our bullpen,” Buehler said. “Obviously we’ve a lot of super talented guys back there so feel good about it.”Buehler has been the Padres’ best pitcher in June. Across five starts, he has thrown 26.1 innings, allowed five earned runs, posted a 1.71 ERA, struck out 27, and walked just eight. It marks the first time he has recorded a sub-2.00 ERA in a single month since August 2021.“It’s good to get the first one in this uniform at home, and we’ll see what kind of happens on the road,” Buehler said. “Haven’t thrown to Dodger Stadium yet, which will be kind of a different thing.”The resurgence of Buehler may be real.“He’s just got balls,” Jackson Merrill said. “He goes out there and competes his ass off, that’s all we asked for. So props to him.”Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts opened the scoring in the top of the second inning when he drove Buehler’s first pitch to left field, just beyond the outstretched glove of Samad Taylor. It was Betts’ 10th home run of the season and g      ​Read More