The 2018 season was a breakout one for young Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler as he went from being the organization’s top prospect to perhaps the ace of their staff.
Buehler didn’t even begin 2018 in the big leagues due to an innings limit that management put on him in his second full season coming off Tommy John surgery. Things are much different going into the 2019 season for Buehler though.
Dodgers president of baseball operations said early in the winter that the hope is the right-hander can throw 200 innings this year, implying that Buehler will not have an innings restriction on him.
Buehler said at the Dodgers’ annual FanFest that while he has not yet discussed anything with the front office about it, he hopes that is the case.
“We haven’t really talked about it but I kind of assume that this year will be a little more free and easy,” Buehler said. “I got to a good number last year so I don’t think we’re too far off.”
He also went on to add that he is taking the same mentality this spring as he had in years past despite already having a spot in the starting rotation locked up. “I still go into Spring Training competing for a job, that’s really about it,” Buehler said. “I think it’s about getting to Opening Day healthy and hoping for the best from there.”
With Buehler being joined by Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Rich Hill and Kenta Maeda, the Dodgers’ starting rotation is again expected to be among the best in baseball in 2019.
Buehler finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2018, and if he continues to take steps forward then he could be in the Cy Young conversation this time around.
