Dodgers News: Walker Buehler Reveals Main Reason He Wants to Return So Badly This Season
If you hadn't heard by now, Walker Buehler is in the midst of an incredibly quick return from Tommy John surgery.
He last stood on a major league mound in June 2022, and just 14 months later, he may be looking at a return to the big leagues this September.
Buehler originally set a target date of September 1, and although the righty conceded that that date was a little too optimistic, he's still aiming to return at some point this season.
Buehler returning in 2023 certainly isn't far fetched, and given that he just faced hitters in Arizona this week, that may just happen.
Whenever he heads back to the mound in a major league game, it'll be a personal milestone for him and it will also help the Dodgers as they try to shore up their pitching staff ahead of the season.
But for the 29-year-old, it's more than just the short-term return that's driving him.
He also appreciates the fleeting nature and finality of a professional baseball career, and that's playing a big part in his motivation, a sentiment he relayed to reporters on Wednesday.
“Every year that we get to do this for a living is such a blessing,” Buehler said. “So for me to be able to touch a mound would be a huge thing and make 2023 not a complete throwaway. It’s hard to take years off your career, right? We only get to do this for so long. I’m happy to be a part of this organization and this team. I guess in some way I want to be a part of this team and not just the organization.”
via SportsNet LA
So Buehler will continue his push back to the big leagues -- but with a retrospective outlook in his mind.
He'll be an asset to his team when he can make his way back. That's not a question given his track record.
But for the pitcher himself, he'll appreciate every moment where he can walk atop a mound every fifth day.
He knows that that's no guarantee, and that at some point in time those moments will end.
But for Buehler, those moments hopefully won't end any time soon.
