Despite Rich Hill making his first start in more than three weeks on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers are still shorthanded in the starting rotation. That became a cold reality when Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu were placed on the 10-day disabled list last week.
Kershaw is dealing with bicep tendinitis but his MRI results were favorable and he has already resumed playing catch on flat ground. While he’s sidelined, Ross Stripling will remain in the starting rotation in his place.
Filling the void left by Ryu is top prospect Walker Buehler, who was initially expected to receive the bulk of his Major League opportunities during the second half of the season.
But injuries have opened the door for Buehler to join the Dodgers soooner than anticipated, as was the case with Cody Bellinger last season. That’s despite an innings limit placed on him by the organization prior to the start of the season.
With their hand forced, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the team will adjust their plan and rely on Buehler until it becomes evident he’s in need of a break, per Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“We’re going to let him go until it looks like he needs a blow and figure it out from there and where we’re at,” Friedman said. “It’s just more of an ‘it-is-what-it-is’ kind of thing. We don’t have a feel of exactly when that will present itself and what position we’ll be in.”
Buehler has thrived in the early going and has seemingly progressed with each outing. In his latest start against the San Diego Padres in Monterrey, Mexico, he tossed six hitless innings and was one of four pitchers to collectively account for the Dodgers’ first combined no-hitter in franchise history.
In three starts this season, Buehler owns a perfect 2-0 record with a minuscule 1.13 ERA, 2.09 FIP and 1.06 WHIP over 16 innings with 19 strikeouts to seven walks. He next takes the mound Thursday night in the series opener against the Cincinnati Reds.
