Who Is the Best Superman Actor?
Superman first made it to the real world at the World's Fair in 1940, when actor Ray Middleton became the first person to play him for a Superman Day celebration. For as long as there's been a Superman, he's had a simple formula: A cape, tights, boots, the iconic 'S' and those strongman trunks—which would eventually become optional. But more importantly, the character arrived fully formed and bloomed during World War II, as a paragon of truth and justice with a colorful supporting cast. As an alien raised by a kindly midwestern couple, Superman is all about going above and beyond to do the right thing, and the actors who've played him have captured that ethos to different degrees.
Superman Ending and Post-Credits Scene Explained
Superman Review
Superman and Why the Battle for Truth, Justice and A Better Tomorrow Is Neverending
James Gunn Took a Huge Risk By Changing Superman's Origin Story, Does It Work?
The Utterly Bizarre History of Superman's Powers
Superman Movies Ranked Worst to Best and Where to Watch Them
With apologies to Ray Middleton and in-person Supermen everywhere, for this ranking, we're focusing on the lead actors of major live action movies and TV shows. We're also limiting it to the character of SuperMAN, so that means no younger versions of the character, and no shows titled Superboy—sorry Joaquin Phoenix—and it also means no video games or cartoons either, otherwise we'd be here all day. We're also limiting this list to official adaptations, so no unlicensed Turkish Superman Returns, or the many versions out of India, which could fill up their own piece. However, we will have a couple of honorable mentions along the way, who don't quite fit the criteria, but we couldn't have this conversation without 'em.
The question of 'What makes a great Man of Steel?' is a tough one, but the answer usually comes down to two broad categories: the actors themselves, and the story or adaptation they're a part of. So, with that in mind, take our hand, and join us as we countdown from the actors we think missed the mark all the way to the definitive Superman.9. Dean Cain
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993-1997)
Superman has been played by a number of great performers, but we'd be lying if we said he was a hit every single time. Lois & Clark ran for four seasons in the early '90s, and while it combined romance and journalism with villains of the week, it was also entirely of its era: which is to say, the era of Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place. On the surface, it has all the elements of a Superman story, but it seemed far more interested in creating a new '90s heart throb than a Man of Steel, down to the character's hairstyle.
As Superman, Dean Cain has an unfortunately limited range, with occasionally stilted delivery. He says all the right things — 'I like your costume'/'Thank you, my mother made it for me'/'Who are you?'/'A friend' — but whether or not he's convincing is another matter. A defining trait of a good Superman performance is the distinction between Superman and Clark Kent, and while Cain technically has that, it's not exactly a performance concerned with fidelity. His Clark Kent is… suave, and fast-talking, and occasionally charming, while his Superman is… straightforward, and stern, but without much depth or authority, and there's something awkward about his stature, like he's never quite comfortable in the suit, almost like the two personas are flipped.
Cain's version of Clark says he wants to fit in, but there's really nothing stopping him from being a normal guy—at least by the standards of '90s TV dramas. In these moments of attempted emotion, the music tends to do the heavy lifting. Lois & Clark isn't a terrible show by any stretch—in fact, Terri Hatcher makes for an ambitious and accomplished Lois Lane—but when it comes to portraying the Man of Steel, it doesn't really live up to what came before it, despite Cain claiming to have based his version of Clark on our next entry…
8. George Reeves
Superman and the Mole Men (1951), Adventures of Superman (1952-1958)
The most famous of the early Supermen, George Reeves (no relation to Christopher Reeve) played the character for nearly a decade—across the B-movie Superman and the Mole Men, and the long-running TV series Adventures of Superman—but maybe Dean Cain should have sought inspiration for his Clark Kent elsewhere. Reeves was an accomplished actor, having appeared in Best Picture winner Gone With the Wind, but his version of Clark wasn't particularly different from his Superman, despite the show's opening narration. 'Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in his bare hands, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper.'
But when it comes to Superman, Reeves—who was 38 when he first played the part—was exactly what the series called for. He was an older, barrel-chested actor in the vein of Western superstar and American myth-maker John Wayne, and his iconic stature still remains a part of the character's appearance today, like when he's drawn by comic artist Alex Ross.
The series began when the U.S. had rising tensions with the USSR, so part of its mission was to instill a sense of patriotism in its viewers. It was the first version of the character to include the now iconic 'the american way' part of Superman's pledge to fight for 'truth and justice,' and there was also a move by the U.S. Treasury Department to get Superman to convince people to invest in stamps and savings bonds. For better or worse, these government efforts weren't usually reflected in the overall plot, except for one episode. The series mostly saw Superman tackling regular, everyday criminals—a far cry from the wacky, silver age antics in the comics at the time—while the movie, which was folded into the show, revolved around Superman trying to stop people from discriminating against subterranean beings with a calm sense of authority.
The show's decade-long run happened at a significant time. It saw the character transition to color, and it helped cause an explosion in mainstream popularity, with the Man of Steel even crossing over with I Love Lucy. For several generations, Reeves was the definitive Superman, a role he played well into his forties, until his tragic demise… which brings us to our first honorable mention.
Honorable Mention: Ben Affleck
As George Reeves in Hollywoodland (2006)
To date, no actor has played both Batman and Superman, but Ben Affleck comes close, since he actually played George Reeves in the 2006 mystery movie Hollywoodland, which treats the actor's possible suicide as a murder. Despite his unhappiness with the role at times, Reeves often stayed in character as the Man of Steel, especially around children, which is something Affleck's version of the beloved actor gets absolutely right.
Something must have been in the water in 2006, because Hollywoodland wasn't the only movie that year filled with nostalgia for an older Superman…
7. Brandon Routh
Superman Returns (2006), The CW's Arrowverse (2019-2020)
Made as an homage to the Richard Donner original, Bryan Singer's Superman Returns sees the Man of Steel returning to the big screen after a 22 year absence, in a story where he comes back to Earth after 5 years away. Now, whether Brandon Routh is playing the same version as Christopher Reeve is up to your interpretation, but there's no avoiding the comparisons, given Reeve's influence on the character—more on that in a bit.
Routh has an incredible gentleness about him, and he embodies both the wistful farmboy and the 'mild mannered reporter' part of Clark Kent to a tee, bumbling his way through scenes in a way that both feels like an act, and like he's channeling who Clark truly is. As Superman, he has this otherworldly quality to him that makes him truly feel like an alien removed from humanity—but maybe that doesn't quite suit this interpretation.
It's wonderful to see him perform feats of strength, but his lumbering appearance might be a little too polished, between the sleek suit, his perfectly curled lock of hair, and the blue contacts that give Routh an uncanny appearance, like he's a Superman action figure. It's a movie that has nothing but nostalgia for Reeve, and just two years after the legendary actor died, you can feel the sense of yearning for a big-screen Superman, though Singer's romantic version is usually a little too outstretched, with long periods of nothing really happening, and neither Lois Lane nor Lex Luthor actually coming face to face with the Man of Steel until past the hour mark and nearly two hours in, respectively. Routh would briefly reprise the role in The CW's Infinite Crisis, a crossover between five of its ongoing shows, which made for a nice reminder of how well suited he could have been, in a better movie.
But, while Warner Brothers may not have had a hit with its new big screen Superman, there was actually another Superman flying around—well, running around—on TV at the same time.
6. Tom Welling
Smallville (2001-2011)
We're sort of bending the rules a bit to include him, but Tom Welling played a younger version of the Man of Steel for ten years on Smallville, in the longest build up to a costume change in recorded history—and since he technically became Superman, it has to count. Like Lois & Clark, the show fit right into the TV landscape of its time, coming off teen dramas like Dawson's Creek, but also genre shows like Buffy and Angel, which allowed it to embrace the more sci-fi and fantasy parts of the Superman mythos.
Despite being 24, Welling fit right in as a moody, sensitive highschooler trying to find his place in the world, while fearing how he might bring harm to those around him. He was slightly awkward, and kind of angry, but mostly well-meaning, as he became the secret vigilante The Blur, before his eventual transformation in the final episode. Also, it must be said that Smallville has what might be the best on-screen version of Lex Luthor, in the form of Michael Rosebaum. The show featured a number of recognizable Superman characters—Jimmy, Lana, Lois, and of course, a cloud version of Darkseid, as was the style at the time—but it's actually Clark's dynamic with Lex that forms the show's emotional backbone, as a kind of yin and yang, who both save each other in the pilot episode—from certain death, and obvious Christ imagery, respectively.
Welling's withheld version of Clark worked, up to a point, in a story about a young man hiding from the world, and he also got to flex his dramatic chops on occasion. But apart from a few hints of developing the 'mild mannered' reporter persona, Welling's Clark doesn't change all that much over the show's 10 year period, which might usually work for a fully-formed Man of Steel, but makes him a little less interesting in an extended origin.
On the other hand, a more modern interpretation dived right in to Superman's story just a few years later, and came achingly close to getting it right:
5. Henry Cavill
Man of Steel (2013), Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Justice League (2017)
You can debate endlessly about whether a dour adaptation of Superman is the way to go, but there was a lot riding on Henry Cavill as The Man of Steel in a post-Avengers world, with DC looking to set up its own Marvel-style universe. It didn't exactly pan out, but Cavill himself flirted with being a great choice for the iconic character. There's a lot of noise in Man of Steel—a lot of chaos and a lot of scowls, but in the midst of it all, Cavill's Superman has hints of a calming presence, making him the kind of superhero that fits Zack Snyder's 'benevolent god' interpretation.
That interpretation gets a bit literal at times, and can lean a bit too heavily on the angry Greek deity side of things, as well as some overt Christ imagery, but there's probably some version of Cavill's Superman that works perfectly in a different take on the DC mythology that isn't bogged down by nihilism.
The sequel, Batman v Superman, would double down on the misery, presenting a drone-strike version Superman who doesn't seem particularly happy about helping people—that is, when he would help people at all—but the bigger problem is that his Superman ends up so full of rage that even the movie's nightmare scenes, and the character's eventual, mindless resurrection in Justice League, don't end up all that different from his usually scowling default setting.
While we don't ever really see a Clark Kent that's any different from his Man of Steel, we do eventually get hints of what a bright, sunny Superman played by Cavill might have looked like. But by the time he shows up, three movies deep, it's a little too late for this version, despite the last-minute attempt to go back to the character's roots…
4. Kirk Alyn
Superman (1948), Atom Man vs. Superman (1950)
Most people might not have heard of Kirk Alyn, but his 1948 theatrical serial (and its 1950 sequel) were pivotal to getting Superman to the silver screen in live action form. The first flesh-and-blood actor to play him at the movies, Alyn nails the mild-mannered reporter aspect of Clark Kent right from his first scene with the character's parents, and he even embodies Superman's powers—like X-ray vision and super hearing—in delightfully silly ways.
Much like George Reeves, Alyn's Superman usually goes up against more grounded villains, who he defeats by bonking their heads together. There's also a clear difference between his Clark and his Superman—who's often animated by hand when he flies—and while his pantomime physical performance may not be what we'd expect in the modern era, Alyn's impishness, enthusiasm and graceful exaggerations create a Superman who delights in leaping out of windows, and in maintaining the ruse of a man with a double life—a man who changes in the Daily's Planet's filing room multiple times per episode.
But what's especially fascinating about Alyn's works is how perfectly he nails the character's vocal transformation, even during a single line: 'This looks like a job FOR SUPERMAN.'
It's an underrated aspect of the character, and very few live-action actors actually nailed it to the degree that Alyn did. In fact, the only early Superman to outdo him is our next honorable mention:
Honorable Mention: Bud Collyer
The Adventures of Superman radio show (1940-1951), Fleischer Studios' Superman (1941-1942), The New Adventures of Superman (1966-1970)
We're sticking with live-action performers for the official list, but there's no way to talk about early Superman without discussing voice actor Bud Collyer. He was the first actor to give Superman a voice, in his very first non-comic adaptation, the decade-long radio serial The Adventures of Superman (which began in 1941), and he also voiced the Man of Steel in not only the nine iconic cartoon episodes of Fleischer Studios' Superman, produced between 1941 and '42, but the New Adventures of Superman, which ran for 4 seasons until 1970.
As the voice behind Superman and Clark Kent for 30 years, he's a vital part of the character's history, even though we can't technically give him a slot here. But his influence can be felt all across our top 3 entries…
3. David Corenswet
Superman (2025)
As the newest Superman on our list, there's still plenty of time for David Corenswet to rise or fall in our rankings, but we feel pretty confident with what we've seen. James Gunn's Superman flies by a little too quickly to really dive into the character, but in every single scene, Corenswet gives us hints of a fully-formed Clark-slash-Superman three years into his public career.
He's a fast-talking, 'aw, shucks' kind of guy who exudes a lovable energy, and while we haven't spent enough time with his awkward, good-natured Clark Kent just yet, the actor slips effortlessly into both modes: mild-mannered, and Man of Steel.
He's vulnerable, and he has a sense of humor and one of his defining traits is that he's a dog person. Very few adaptations outside of the cartoons have really touched on this part of him, but it makes perfect sense, since Superman is kind of what you'd get if you turned a golden retriever into a person, at least earlier in his career.
But there's really only one live-action version that's explored what Superman's life would be if he'd stuck around for a long time…
2. Tyler Hoechlin
The CW's Arrowverse (2016-2020), Superman & Lois (2021-2024)
Right from his first scenes in The CW's Supergirl, Tyler Hoechlin nails the mood and mannerisms of both sides of the Man of Steel, but it's really his own series, Superman & Lois—a show full of gumshoe journalism—that allows him to truly shine.
The series doesn't cross over with the others in the Arrow-verse, but it uses the classic iconography of Superman to present a new take on Smallville, as a contemporary American town suffering a post-recession economic downturn, making it the perfect modern update. Superman and Lois Lane have teenage sons, and when they move from Metropolis back to Kansas, Clark starts bearing the brunt of living a double life, and gradually reveals himself to his neighbors over the course of four seasons.
All the while, the show tells the story of Superman learning and at times struggling to be a good father, something the comics have focused on a lot in recent years. Along the way, the character is shown to be worldly, a protector of the vulnerable and innocent, and someone trustworthy on the surface, but he struggles with living up to this ideal, since his secret identity involves lying to those around him.
Despite its villain-of-the-week structure, what makes Superman & Lois work is its focus on friends and family, which it frames as Superman's biggest strength. Well, that and punching of course. Hoechlin has a righteous anger, and as a father, he's stern, but never cruel. Ultimately, he's a jovial, loving and forgiving person who struggles with what it means to love, and to be mortal—but without losing sight of his humanity in the process.
This humanity is what makes Superman who he is, and the various actors who've played him across the decades have all understood that to varying degrees. But there's one person who stands head and shoulders above them all, as history's definitive Superman, and the gold standard for the big-screen superhero…
1. Christopher Reeve
Superman: The Movie (1978), Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983), Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1984)
Richard Donner's Superman: The Movie added a lot to what we think of as Superman's story, from his iconic 'S' logo being the crest of the House of El, to the ice crystal versiony of fortress of solitude seen in nearly every adaptation since. But more than any of that, it was the perfect balance that Reeve struck between a bumbling, warmhearted, vulnerable Clark Kent, and a firm but welcoming—and slightly flirtatious—Man of Steel. Even the way he differentiates Clark and Superman's postures ended up becoming part of some of the character's most iconic comic moments.
Reeve was an incredible actor, but a huge part of the film's success also rests on Margot Kidder as the ideal Lois Lane. She's the perfect, strong-headed foil to Reeve's timid Clark. People may be nostalgic about the film today, but Superman: The Movie was already filled with nostalgia by the time it came out in 1978. The Lois-Clark dynamic is a perfect throwback to screwball comedies from Hollywood's golden age, and its folksy, Norman Rockwell Smallville was a fantasy of some lost American virtue that—whether or not it truly existed—was fully captured by Superman himself, even in the series later, goofy entries.
Reeve embodied the character both on and off-screen, with his disability activism in later years, but his performance is arguably the reason there are still superhero movies today, with each one of them trying to live up to the unquantifiable magic he brought to the screen—the kind that could make you believe a man can fly. Which is why he takes the top spot in our search for the definitive Superman. He was one of a kind.
But what do you think? Vote in our poll and let's discuss in the comments! And be sure to check out our ranking of the Superman movies too.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dave Nemetz Reviews King of the Hill: Yup, Hulu's Revival Has Aged a Bit, But Still Delivers Texas-Sized Laughs
Like Hank Hill, I'm naturally skeptical of anything new. So I was a bit worried when Hulu announced they're bringing back the animated comedy King of the Hill for new episodes — only because the original Fox run was so impeccable, and I'd hate for anything to taint that. Then I got more worried when I learned the new King of the Hill would be set years later, with a grown-up Bobby Hill (!). Is nothing sacred? (Please hear that in Bobby Hill's voice, and giggle along with me.) But I shouldn't have worried: Hulu's new King of the Hill — premiering Monday, Aug. 4; I've seen the first four episodes — has the same warm, down-home appeal of the original, with the voice cast effortlessly slipping back into their old roles. Really, setting aside Bobby's adulthood and a few wrinkles on Peggy's face, most of the new King of the Hill could've aired back in 1998, and it would've fit in seamlessly. The nods to the absurdity of modern life, though, are golden, giving Hank and his pals plenty of new things to complain about. (Can you believe the world of conspiracy theories actually caught up to Dale Gribble?) More from TVLine Buffy the Vampire Slayer Reboot Adds 5 - Including Severance and Frasier Vets Chuck Mangione, Jazz Musician and King of the Hill Guest Star, Dead at 84 Chris Meloni Joins, William H. Macy Circling Hulu's NFL Drama From Dan Fogelman The joy of King of the Hill — which enjoyed a healthy 13-season run on Fox that ended in 2009 — lies in how grounded it is. Yes, it's an animated series, but it never took off into fantasy land with rocket ships and superpowers. Instead, co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels always kept it rooted in small-town America, spinning a humble family sitcom in the fictional Texas town of Arlen. King of the Hill was never as laugh-out-loud funny as The Simpsons — except maybe when Bobby learned the self-defense technique of 'That's my purse!' — but it was comfortingly low-key, with plenty of warm chuckles along the way. And Hulu's revival nobly carries on that tradition, maintaining that low-key vibe while bringing Hank and company into the 2020s… whether they like it or not. As the revival kicks off, the stubbornly traditional Hank (Judge) and his wife Peggy (Kathy Najimy) are just returning to Arlen after spending several years in Saudi Arabia, where Hank worked as — of course — a propane consultant. They return home to find their hometown mostly unchanged… although Hank's friend Bill (Stephen Root) did freak out a bit during COVID and became a paranoid recluse, bearded and bed-ridden. Hank and Peggy's son Bobby (Pamela Adlon) has grown up, though, and is now a chef at his own restaurant, cooking up Japanese-style robata. Just don't ask if he's using propane. It does take a minute to get used to seeing and hearing a grown-up Bobby — I was not prepared to consider Bobby Hill as a sexual being — but Adlon's squeaky voice, though a bit lower here, is once again a joy, and just like he did in the original series, Bobby steals the show. The rest of the gang is pretty much how we remember them, thankfully: Peggy is still chipper and confident. Bill is still lonely and pathetic. Dale is still slinging wild conspiracy theories (and COVID has given him lots of ammunition). Boomhauer is still mumbling unintelligibly. Plus, Hank gets to be annoyed by all kinds of modern innovations, from Uber drivers to Zoom calls to barbecue grills equipped with Wi-Fi, for some reason. There are a few differences longtime fans will notice: Hank's airheaded niece Luanne, voiced by the late Brittany Murphy, isn't in the revival — and that's for the best, really, since Murphy was irreplaceable. (Johnny Hardwick, who originally voiced Dale, passed away in 2023, and Toby Huss takes over for him midway through the season.) Aside from a few cosmetic differences, though, Hulu's new episodes slip right into the show we know and love. The premiere has to spend time setting things up and reintroducing everyone, but the episodes after that just feel like vintage King of the Hill. It's a lot like the Alamo beer that Hank and his friends sip in the alley: nothing too flashy, but always reliable — and, in its own way, kind of timeless. THE TVLINE BOTTOM LINE: Hulu's revival brings back the comfortingly low-key vibe of the original, along with a few smart updates.


Gizmodo
9 minutes ago
- Gizmodo
A Creepy Corn Maze Awaits at the ‘Clown in a Cornfield' Activation
Clown in a Cornfield is a million-dollar title—so eerie, so evocative, and so perfectly descriptive of Eli Craig's horror movie, which hit theaters earlier this year. It's headed to Shudder and AMC+ August 8, but even if you've been waiting to catch it on streaming, there's much to scream about with its San Diego Comic-Con immersive experience. Why? Well, for one thing, it's a haunted corn maze—and even though it's indoors, it's still dark and spooky as you'd expect. The queue drops you right into Kettle Springs, Missouri as the Founder's Day parade is getting started, then you enter through a clown-mouthed doorway for a stroll through the stalks. Keep your ears peeled for the sounds of comically large shoes, horn honks, and even a chainsaw firing up—and eventually you'll reach the escape room at the end, where Frendo puts a countdown clock on your chances of survival. Here's a gallery of images, though it was hard to snap photos inside the maze itself. For those wondering, this is not the sort of haunt where monsters grab you, though the recommended age of 13+ feels about right for the scare level. That said, once you 'survive,' you end up at a fun carnival pop-up themed around not just Clown in a Cornfield but also other Shudder and AMC+ horror titles. There, you can play games for tickets that'll score you candy and (non-alcoholic) slushie drinks. While the corn maze did offer reservations earlier this week (check Shudder on Instagram and X), your best bet now that SDCC is in full swing is probably braving the daily standby line. It'll be open today, July 25, and tomorrow, July 26, from noon-8 p.m. at the Hilton Gaslamp, Front Entrance Grass Lawn (look for the staircase with the Clown in a Cornfield signs), 401 K Street, San Diego. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.


New York Times
10 minutes ago
- New York Times
Dodgers welcome back Walker Buehler, who finds himself in a familiar place with Boston
BOSTON — The image is now permanently cemented in Los Angeles Dodgers lore: Walker Buehler, arms spread wide, rectifying the most trying months of his career and joining the rare club of pitchers who have recorded the final out to clinch a World Series. It was Buehler's years with the Dodgers in a nutshell: flashes of brilliance, alongside a kind of journey and brash cockiness that endeared him to a city. Advertisement That moment has replayed at Dodger Stadium almost every day this season. It's likely been viewed hundreds of thousands more times in homes across Los Angeles. Buehler said he's only seen it a couple of times, though. The moment that, as Clayton Kershaw said then, etched Buehler 'in Dodger glory and royalty forever,' is a cool memory, but that's about it. 'I don't think I really got super obsessed with it,' Buehler said. 'That moment means a lot to all of us, that we're a part of it, and the city and the fans that come out every day for us there.' The coolest thing about it, Buehler said Friday, is sharing that exclusive club with Josh Sborz, a former minor league teammate, fellow Dodgers draftee and a groomsman in his wedding. The baseball from his final strikeout of Alex Verdugo has since sold for $414,000, with the proceeds benefitting those impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires this past winter. If he stayed with the Dodgers that winter, Buehler may have induced one of the loudest roars from the crowd when the players received their World Series rings in April. Instead, Buehler collected his second ring on Friday afternoon, donning a green Boston Red Sox cap as he tries to right the ship again. Walker's new ring? Yeesh. 🔥 — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 25, 2025 Buehler and the Dodgers had some dialogue this winter, with one report from AM 570's David Vassegh saying that Los Angeles, which didn't offer Buehler a qualifying offer, gave him a one-year offer of essentially equal value. Buehler wanted to come back and considered doing so. 'I think it would have been hard to leave that for anywhere except for (Boston),' Buehler said. Then the Dodgers went out and signed two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell. Afterward, Buehler took a one-year, $21.05 million deal from the Red Sox (the same as the qualifying offer would have been). Advertisement 'I think it was an interesting situation,' Buehler said. 'I think there's obviously two sides to that situation. We had conversations about it, we talked through it. And they went and signed guys that they wanted to sign. And I signed with a place that I wanted to play. It kind of it what it is.' The Red Sox checked boxes for Buehler. A passionate fan base and a franchise seemingly geared up to win. He'd grown accustomed to pitching in five different postseasons with the Dodgers and crafting a lore of dominating in the fall. It was a chance to take the strides he'd made last October after struggling in his return from a second Tommy John surgery and translate them into a full season. The situation gave him a chance to reestablish the value he had when he was earning Cy Young votes in his 20s. Most of that has come to pass. The Red Sox entered Friday at 55-49 and in postseason position. Buehler and his wife, McKenzie and daughter, Finley, have loved the Boston area. 'I'm enjoying the s—t out of it,' Buehler said. 'Our fans here are here long and loud. Kind of similar in a lot of ways to (Los Angeles). It's been a really fun year, outside of some of the playing stuff for me.' However, Buehler's first full season back from his second elbow surgery didn't start as planned. Through 17 starts, he's sporting a 5.72 ERA that ranks sixth-worst among pitchers with at least 80 innings under his belt this season. After an ugly start in Anaheim this season, he called his performance 'embarrassing.' His numbers are on par with how he did last summer with Los Angeles, when he left the team for a period in hopes of reworking his mechanics. It paid off that fall. Three strong starts and a memorable relief appearance got him where he is now. He's hoping he can conjure up some magic again, delivering seven strong innings and allowing just two runs in his last start against the Philadelphia Phillies. 7 innings of absolute work. — Red Sox (@RedSox) July 22, 2025 'I think everyone kind of knows I'm on a one-year contract, so you never know what's going to happen down the road,' Buehler said. His next start is Sunday — against the Dodgers. That will stir different emotions than Friday, when he received his ring and exchanged pleasantries with his former teammates. A group of Dodgers fans touring Fenway Park began cheering Buehler's name. His presence, in a lot of ways, is missed. Advertisement 'He means a lot to me personally,' Roberts said. Buehler spent Thursday with Kershaw and Kershaw's son, Charley, in the Boston area before stopping by the ballpark to see his old teammates. It's hard to call this weekend closure, Buehler said, because the door was closed long ago. Still, Sunday will be a different experience. 'I think that's the way it should be,' Roberts said. 'I'm looking forward to facing him.' Buehler, in typical fashion, did some mild chirping. 'The goal,' Buehler said, 'is go and to get one over on them.'