Buehler to the Bronx: Dodgers Free Agent’s Love for Yankee Stadium Sparks Rumors

The Los Angeles Dodgers received a collective effort en route to winning their eighth World Series title in franchise history, but the likes of Freddie Freeman and Walker Buehler were among those to have standout moments.

Freeman made postseason history by hitting a walk-off grand slam in Game 1 and he went on to set multiple records that culminated with being named World Series MVP. As for Buehler, he again lived up to a well-earned billing of being a big-game pitcher.

Buehler’s latest heroics was pitching out of the Dodgers bullpen on one day of rest to close out the New York Yankees. That set off the Dodgers’ World Series party that spanned multiple days.

Buehler told Matthew Roberson of GQ that getting an opportunity to silence the road crowd was particularly enjoyable and especially so because of his affinity for how Yankee Stadium is built.

“It got quiet in there,” Buehler said with a sly grin. “I think the coolest aspect of Yankee Stadium is that everyone’s not on top of you. There’s this size to it and everyone’s off of you a little bit, and that’s part of what makes it a really cool ballpark to play in. But when it gets quiet, it gets real big in there, and kind of airy.”

After struggling throughout his first season since undergoing a second Tommy John surgery, Buehler reached a new level in October. Sloppy defense hurt him in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, but the right-hander fared well in three ensuing games (two starts).

Buehler closed out the playoffs on a stretch of 10 consecutive scoreless innings. All three of his final postseason appearances came in the state of New York, where Buehler acknowledged chilly weather may have contributed to pitches having better movement and metrics.

Coincidentally, the Mets and Yankees are among the teams with reported interest in signing Buehler.

Yankee Stadium history

Part of the Dodgers and Yankees being historic MLB franchises is their respective iconic ballparks. The current iteration in the Bronx — informally known as Yankee Stadium II — has been in use since the 2009 season.

The original Yankee Stadium opened in 1923 and was the Yankees’ home through 2008.

In 2006, the Yankees began building a new $2.3 billion stadium in public parkland adjacent to their original stadium. The design of new Yankee Stadium features a replica of the frieze along the roof; and Monument Park, a Hall of Fame for distinguished former Yankees, was relocated to the new ballpark.

The original Yankee Stadium was demolished in 2010 and two years later the eight-acre site was converted to Heritage Field, a public park.