After missing around a month due to a microfracture in his ribs, Los Angeles Dodgers rookie pitcher Walker Buehler returned to the big league mound just before the All-Star break.
He tossed five innings, giving up six hits and two runs while striking out five and walking one on 79 pitches in the Freeway Series opener against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Buehler was then optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City after that start so the Dodgers could have an extra reliever in the bullpen for the last couple of games before the break. When including Buehler, the Dodgers currently have six healthy starting pitchers in him, Clayton Kershaw, Kenta Maeda, Rich Hill, Alex Wood and Ross Stripling.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has discussed potentially utilizing a six-man rotation out of the All-Star break since the team plays 17 straight games before having an off day.
It appears that is not set in stone though as Roberts said he is still unsure of what the plan is for Buehler moving forward, per Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“We haven’t worked that out yet as far as what day he’s going to pitch,” Roberts said. “The organization is working through it. Simulated game, something like that, in a game – we still have time to think about it.”
In what is just his second full season coming off Tommy John surgery, the Dodgers planned to limit Buehler’s innings this year. They did not set an exact number on how many he would throw, but he is already at 73.1 total innings between the Major and Minor Leagues so far this season.
Buehler getting an extra day of rest as a part of a six-man rotation would help limit those innings, as would keeping him down in the Minors for a few weeks so he can contribute without limitations down the stretch of a potential pennant race.
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