PHILADELPHIA -- Red Sox manager Alex Cora was hurling superlatives at Monday’s starting pitcher before his team's game against the Phillies even started.
Cora raved about the right-hander’s command, his bulldog mentality and how tough he is on hitters.
The heady praise was in response to a reporter’s question about Philadelphia ace Zack Wheeler, but he might as well have been referring to Boston starter Walker Buehler.
The 30-year-old Buehler turned back the clock several years and looked more like the dominant pitcher who made a pair of All-Star appearances in 2019 and '21 and helped the Dodgers to World Series titles in '20 and '24, rather than the middling starter who limped into Citizens Bank Park with a 6.12 ERA and more hits allowed (87) than innings pitched (78).
“That was tremendous,” Cora said following Boston’s 3-2 loss in 10 innings, which ended on a rare catcher’s interference.
Buehler frustrated the powerful NL East-leading Phillies lineup for most of the night, matching his season high by going seven innings while allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits, with four strikeouts and one walk.
“This one, in particular, I felt a lot more normal,” Buehler said. “Another step forward for me.”
The stellar outing could not have come at a better time for Boston, with Cora announcing before the game that right-hander Tanner Houck (right flexor pronator strain) would remain on the injured list, where he has been stuck since May 13.
Suddenly, the surging Red Sox, who have still won 13 of their past 17 games despite dropping three of four since the All-Star break, might be able to look to Buehler as a reliable, shut-down arm -- you know, much like the Philadelphia ace who Cora gushed over beforehand -- down the stretch. Besides helping the team win, of course, Buehler will be looking to engage potential offseason suitors as he plays out his one-year, $21.05 million deal with the Red Sox.
And the line from MLB teams will likely be long if he continues to throw like he did against the Phillies. But that’s for later. For now, there’s a playoff race to focus on.
“That’s kind of the goal, to stay in the conversation to start playoff games when we get there,” Buehler said.
Run-scoring singles by Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto in the fourth were the only blemishes for Buehler, with Realmuto’s RBI going down as an unearned run following a passed ball that put Castellanos in scoring position.
“Amazing,” Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez said of Buehler’s performance. “He controlled the strike zone. We’re going to need this guy. He was dealing. It was exciting to see.”
Wheeler, meantime, warranted Cora’s praise with a 10-strikeout performance, though he lasted only six innings thanks to the peskiness of Boston's hitters at the plate. The Red Sox required the 35-year-old to throw 105 pitches to get his 18 outs.
Jarren Duran greeted Wheeler with a leadoff homer to the opposite field in left, the ninth time in his career -- and fourth this season -- Duran has started a game by going deep. Wheeler settled in, allowing only Trevor Story’s clutch one-out RBI single in the sixth with runners on first and third that scored Alex Bregman.
But Boston couldn’t manage any more runs. Still, the positive on a night that ended in wacky fashion certainly was Buehler.
“Excited about what the future holds,” Cora said.