Veteran Walker Buehler makes Phillies debut vs. Royals

Walker Buehler makes his debut for the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday when they open a three-game interleague series against the visiting Kansas City Royals.

Buehler posted a 7-7 record with a 5.45 ERA in 23 appearances for the Boston Red Sox this season before the team moved on from the veteran right-hander last month. He latched on with Philadelphia and made one start in Triple-A to prepare him for Friday's outing.

In that tune-up, Buehler threw 78 pitches -- 47 strikes -- over three innings. He gave up two runs (one earned) and five hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Now he joins one of the hottest teams in baseball in time for a pennant race.

"Obviously, it didn't work out in Boston, and I'm super excited to be here," Buehler said. "We had some conversations in the offseason about me potentially coming here and it didn't finish the way we all kind of wanted it to, but this is a place I've always had a lot of respect for."

Buehler's arrival will give the Phillies a six-man rotation, at least for now. The team can afford to give its top starters a bit of rest down the stretch, as Philadelphia (87-60) enters this matchup with a 7-1 record in its last eight games and, more importantly, a magic number of five to clinch the National League East.

The Phillies also are closing in on the Milwaukee Brewers (89-58), who hold a two-game lead for the top seed in the NL playoffs.

Philadelphia is coming off a four-game sweep of the New York Mets. Jesus Luzardo retired 22 straight batters in Thursday's 6-4 victory, while Otto Kemp homered and drove in three runs for the Phillies.

"For me, it was more of keeping us in the game and giving us a chance to win and go for the sweep," Luzardo said, "which is obviously something we wanted. As we wind down the season, every win counts."

Kansas City (74-73) has lost four of five and is now a long shot to earn an American League wild-card spot. The Royals dropped three of four against the Cleveland Guardians this week, including a disappointing 3-2 setback on Thursday.

Stephen Kolek gave up one run in 6 2/3 innings before John Schreiber allowed the go-ahead two-run homer to C.J. Kayfus in the eighth.

"It's a gut punch," Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino said. "He took a good swing and he hit it out. Sucks. Plain and simple."

Kansas City will aim to bounce back behind Michael Lorenzen (5-10, 4.63), who pitched a no-hitter for Philadelphia during one of his seven starts for the club in 2023. Now he will face the Phillies, against whom he is 1-3 with a 4.96 ERA in nine career meetings (one start).

Most recently, Lorenzen allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings in a 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins last Sunday.

"Today, I put the team in a hole early," Lorenzen said after surrendering home runs to Byron Buxton and Kody Clemens. "In my last start, I wish I had one pitch back. Today, there were about three. Those homers will hurt you."

--Field Level Media