Padres Reinstate Buehler for NLDS Roster as All-Hands Game 3 Looms

Facing elimination, the San Diego Padres have added a familiar October arm to their roster mix. The club reinstated Walker Buehler from the paternity list during Monday's off day, swapping him onto the NLDS roster in place of Randy Vásquez, who had been active for the first two games of the Division Series as a replacement but never appeared. Manager Craig Stammen told reporters the plan is all hands on deck with the Padres trailing the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 in the best-of-five series. Buehler will be available out of the bullpen for Tuesday night's Game 3 at Petco Park — with Nick Pivetta tabbed to start against Milwaukee's Dustin May — and stands as an option to start a potential Game 4 if San Diego extends the series. Buehler's season has been uneven: a 4.63 ERA with a slightly below-average 20.1 percent strikeout rate across 32 starts, ranking second on the team in innings. But the veteran steadied after the All-Star break, posting a 3.62 ERA, and his postseason pedigree makes him a natural lever for a desperate club. Both games in Milwaukee were decided late — the Padres lost 3-2 and then 4-3 on Jackson Chourio's walk-off — leaving San Diego needing three straight wins to keep its October alive.