Walker Buehler has crossed a significant personal threshold in 2026, surpassing the total number of starts he made across all of last season. The right-hander now has his sights set on a bigger target: the 33 starts he made in 2021, the career-high that stands as the measuring stick for just how far he can push his durability this year.

Buehler's 2025 Total Sets the Bar He Just Cleared

Buehler's 2025 start total is the line he has now surpassed in 2026 with more than three weeks left in the regular season. Getting past that 2025 figure is not a trivial marker — it represents a full, productive campaign for a pitcher who has dealt with significant arm issues earlier in his career. Crossing that threshold in 2026 confirms he has been available and working deep into the season in a way he was not always able to guarantee.

The 2021 Career-High Is the Next Landmark

The 33-start benchmark from 2021 is the number that frames everything now. That season represented Buehler at his most durable, carrying a full starting pitcher's workload through a playoff run. Reaching or approaching that figure in 2026 would mark a meaningful continuation of his comeback arc.

With the Padres still in the thick of the regular season and September underway, every Buehler start carries added weight — not just for his personal milestone chase, but for a rotation that benefits from reliable, experienced innings. Petco Park has seen him take the mound as a contributor this year, and if the schedule cooperates, the 33-start mark is within the range of what remains on the calendar.

What to Watch

  • How many starts Buehler has remaining on the 2026 schedule and whether the Padres stretch him out or manage his workload
  • Whether his innings total climbs meaningfully past what he posted across all of 2025
  • His performance quality as the season winds into its final weeks, and how he factors into any late-season pitching decisions

The story here is straightforward: Buehler has been available, he has been starting, and he has now done more in 2026 than he managed in all of 2025. The 33-start ceiling from 2021 is the next number on the board.