Dodgers Starter Never Completed Rehab, Still Working His Way Back, Says Pitching Coach
Will Walker Buehler be available to the Dodgers at the start of the 2024 regular season?
In all likelihood, probably not. The ace of the staff has been progressively working his way back from major surgery. In Aug. 2022, Buehler had flexor tendon surgery and Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.
The organization is being extra careful with Buehler, knowing that a healthy Buehler for the stretch run in October is more important than having him available at the beginning of the season.
Speaking to the media (including Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times) at the team's spring training camp, Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior offered some comments on Buehler and his recovery process:
"I don’t think, at least from my perspective, he ever actually completed that rehab. So it’s building him back up to get him to the point where he was at the end of [last year]. Finish and complete the rehab. And then make sure he’s ready to throw at this level."
— Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior on Walker Buehler
Buehler then followed up with a comment of his own:
"It’s not necessarily about checking [new] boxes. It’s making sure none of them get unchecked, I guess."
— Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler on his recovery
With Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and James Paxton joining starting rotation candidates including Bobby Miller, Emmer Sheehan, Ryan Yarbrough, Gavin Stone, and a host of other pitchers, the Dodgers don't have to rush Buehler (or Clayton Kershaw) back to the field just yet.
The comments from Prior are interesting. Most had assumed Buehler would be ready to go after sitting out all of last season, then making it to the mound in a Triple-A game in September.
However, with this being the second Tommy John surgery of his career, Buehler is facing new precautions. The Dodgers have high expectations and the luxury of time.
Assuming Buehler and Kershaw come back ready to go at some point this year, the Dodgers' 2024 rotation could ultimately be the deepest and most talented in all of baseball.
