UPDATE (Aug. 15, 2:45 p.m. PT): The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Walker Buehler will undergo season-ending elbow surgery on Tuesday, Aug. 23.
Walker Buehler cleared a major hurdle last month as he threw a baseball for the first time since suffering a right flexor tendon strain and subsequently undergoing elbow surgery to remove bone spurs.
The Los Angeles Dodgers remain confident Buehler will have ample time to stretch out as a starting pitcher despite not being expected to return until September. Though, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman recently answered, “I’m not sure yet,” when asked about Buehler’s role down the line.
“Each day it’s been better. We’re kind of monitoring that progress on a daily basis,” Friedman added.
“That said, we’re going to be smart about it. So to the extent that it continues to improve day over day over day, and as we get into a throwing progression, if the box keeps getting checked, then I feel like he can progress to a point of being a real weapon for us in September and building up into October.
“But each day we’re going to learn more as we go, and we’ll factor that in.”
Buehler has continued to throw on flat ground for multiple weeks as he works toward getting off the mound.
Prior to his elbow injury, Buehler went 6-3 with a 4.02 ERA, 3.81 FIP and 1.29 WHIP in 65 innings pitched this season (12 starts).
Buehler among pitchers Dodgers hoping to get back
Buehler is one of several starting pitchers the Dodgers are hoping to get back before the end of the year, along with Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May and Danny Duffy.
Kershaw and Duffy are candidates to return in September, while May will make his 2022 debut this weekend against the Miami Marlins.
As for the bullpen, the Dodgers are optimistic Yency Almonte, Victor González, Brusdar Graterol, Tommy Kahnle and Blake Treinen will pitch again this season.
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