Dodgers News: Mechanical Changes May Be in the Works for Walker Buehler
Walker Buehler has been an electric part of the Dodgers rotation for quite some time now. The only issue is that he's now had to have Tommy John surgery for a second time.
The first time he had the surgery was right after the Dodgers picked him 24th overall out of Vanderbilt in the 2015 MLB Draft, and six years into his career, another elbow issue required the surgery.
Ultimately, something has to change, and it might be Buehler's pitching mechanics.
The 29-year-old righty blew through the normal recovery time for a Tommy John, which usually sits around 14-16 months, and he expects to face professional hitters by September 1.
The lofty goal he set for himself as this season started was to be back in the rotation by September 1, but it's looking more and more like September 1 might be a good bet as to when Buehler could go out on a rehab assignment.
The two time all-star knows how to recover from the surgery, as he's had to do it before. That's probably the reason why he is back. and ready to go a little sooner than planned. But he also realizes that in order for things to change, he might have to adapt his pitching style to better suit his arm.
“I’ve hurt my elbow twice now pretty seriously, so there’s a part of what’s in my delivery that isn’t working — while also trying to keep the things that do work well,” Buehler said. “We’re going to try to alter how I train or how I practice to kind of clean up some of that stuff. All in all, I think it’s one of those things where I’m just trying to take care of myself and my body.”
Ultimately, Buehler's help in the rotation will help the Dodgers. going into the postseason and during the postseason run, but the key thing is to not lose him again to another injury.
Do you think Buehler will be the same after coming back?
