Playing for the first time since the 2022 season, Walker Buehler made eight starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season before being placed on the 15-day injured list on June 19 due to right hip inflammation.
With a 5.84 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, and .301 batting average against, it was clear that he still had a lot of work to do in terms of reinventing himself as a pitcher after his second Tommy John surgery.
His home run rate was the highest of his career at 2.43 HR/9 and had the lowest strikeout rate of his career at just 18.5%. This combination did not lead to good results, which is reflected in his 6.05 FIP.
After taking some time away from the Dodgers to work through his issues at Cressey Sports Performance in Florida, Buehler rejoined the organization on July 25 and completed the first start of his rehab assignment on Thursday with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
He is expected to make one start more before he re-joins the team, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Buehler will make one more start in Triple-A next week before being folded back into the Dodgers’ starting rotation.
Buehler went 3.1 innings while giving up four earned runs and striking out six. The results left a lot to be desired, but Roberts didn’t express much concern:
“Honestly, I don’t think it matters,” Roberts said of Buehler’s results. “He said he felt better about this one than the last one. The results certainly weren’t there. He’s an All-Star major-league pitcher. So at some point in time, you do the build up. He’s got one more then he’s got to help us at the major-league level.
“It comes down to Walker competing, making pitches and us running him out there. That’s where I’m at.”
The Dodgers rotation is in a much better place after the addition of Jack Flaherty at the trade deadline, but there is still room for competition heading into the final months of the season.
With Tyler Glasnow, Flaherty, Kershaw, and Stone not going anywhere, River Ryan currently holds onto what is likely the last open spot in the rotation. However, with just two career Major League starts under his belt, the Dodgers are sure to give Buehler every opportunity to win that spot back.
Walker Buehler benefited from IL stint
Roberts believes that Buehler’s hip inflammation played a role in his struggles this season, noting that the right-hander was operating at 80% capacity. Roberts also said that getting closer to full health and the mental break afforded to Buehler by his time on the IL will be a benefit.
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