The Los Angeles Dodgers starting rotation was thrown a bit out of whack this past week when Rich Hill was unable to come off the disabled list for his scheduled start Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
That was after Hill was unexpectedly put on the DL due to a cracked fingernail, which prevented him from taking the mound in the series opener against the San Diego Padres. The Dodgers were forced to go with a bullpen game started by Ross Stripling, which ended in a loss to the Diamondbacks.
So far this season, the Dodgers’ sixth starter that has filled in for Hill has been top prospect Walker Buehler. Although, with him being forced to start one of the doubleheader games against the San Francisco Giants this past Saturday, he was unable to replace Hill on Monday.
Buehler was optioned to High-A Rancho Cucamonga after that outing, an indication the organization was likely to recall him in short order.
That appears to be this week when the club faces the Padres in the Mexico Series, per Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
The team intends to recall Walker Buehler to start one of the three games against the Padres.
Odds are Buehler will start either Friday or Saturday, with Alex Wood going in the other game. Both pitched in the doubleheader at AT&T Park last weekend, leaving them on the same schedule.
Buehler has played the part of the highly-touted prospect that he is so far in his first two Major League starts. He’s 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA, 2.20 FIP, 1.40 WHIP, 11 strikeouts against four walks in 10 innings pitched.
