Fansided

25 most important stars for MLB playoffs

By Joshua Sadlock

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 21: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees follows through on a sixth inning home run against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on September 21, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 21: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees follows through on a sixth inning home run against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on September 21, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 27: Walker Buehler #21 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants during their MLB game at Oracle Park on September 27, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 27: Walker Buehler #21 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants during their MLB game at Oracle Park on September 27, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images) /

13. Walker Buehler

This may come off as sacrilege to most Dodgers fans, but Clayton Kershaw is in the process of passing the torch to 25-year-old right-hander Walker Buehler. The process is far from complete, but there will soon come a time where Buehler is the dominant fixture at the top of the rotation in LA with Kershaw playing the role of supporting veteran in the No. 2 slot. This postseason is Buehler’s big chance to assert himself.

The Dodgers were very careful in how they managed Buehler’s innings his first two seasons in the big leagues. He did not pitch in the 2017 postseason and threw only 161 innings last year, including October. Buehler was stellar in the playoffs last year, making four starts and pitching to a 3.80 ERA in 23.2 innings with 29 strikeouts. He made his World Series debut and threw seven innings of two-hit ball with seven strikeouts.

Buehler made 30 starts this year for the first time, logging 182.1 innings with a 3.26 ERA and 10.6 strikeouts per nine. He also kept the long ball in check, allowing only one per-nine and walked a career-best 1.8 per nine. Buehler also got stronger as the season went on, pitching to a 2.99 ERA in the second half while striking out 11.7 per-nine.

Kershaw is still in his prime, but is getting closer to the end of it by the year. Now would be a phenomenal time for Buehler to really step up and take the mantle from him as next great Dodgers ace. As an added bonus, if that happens this October, the Dodgers should end up back in the World Series for the third year in a row.

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