Dodgers’ Walker Buehler takes critical step towards return from Tommy John

Up until this point, it was hard to know exactly when Buehler could potentially return to the Dodgers rotation. But now that a rehab assignment is set, there’s a better idea. It does seem like the beginning of May would be a realistic possibility.

After all, this is Buehler’s second Tommy John. That’s not something to mess around with, which is exactly why Los Angeles is being cautious. Buehler was one of the best starting pitchers in the sport before his injury and will surely be a key piece of the Dodgers’ staff again when he’s at 100%.

Walker Buehler nearly pitched at the end of 23′, making one rehab start in Oklahoma City before the Dodgers shut him down. That definitely means he’s more than ready to be on the hill.

Roberts spoke on what the goal will be for Buehler in OKC. Via JP Hoonstra:

“A 4-5 inning start is reasonable, Roberts said. The goal? “It’s about building up, fine-tuning his pitch mix so when he (returns to the majors) he can go six innings and feel like he can get major league hitters out.”

How does Buehler fit into Dodgers rotation?

With Shohei Ohtani unable to pitch in 24′, the Dodgers rotation consists of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Bobby Miller, Gavin Stone, and James Paxton. However, Clayton Kershaw will return from injury at some point in the summer and Buehler is of course on the verge of joining the staff. There’s zero doubt the former Vanderbilt standout will be a go-to guy for the Dodgers, but he will be on an innings limit just to be sure he doesn’t reinjure the elbow.

As for Paxton and Stone, they will need to impress in order to keep a spot in the rotation. Buehler has proven over the years to be a reliable arm for Los Angeles and Dodgers fans are surely excited to see him doing his thing as the franchise looks to make a World Series run.