The Los Angeles Dodgers hoped that starting pitcher Walker Buehler would return to All-Star form following his second Tommy John surgery. That operation left him with no choice but to skip the 2023 Major League Baseball season.
Unfortunately, Buehler’s comeback hasn’t gone according to plan. In addition to winning only one game in eight starts, the Dodgers placed him on the injured list after suffering a hip injury caused by a line drive.
Walker Buehler is headed to the IL pic.twitter.com/dVhWQ6UVIN
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 20, 2024
Before exiting the game, Buehler gave up seven runs and seven hits in four innings against the Colorado Rockies. A pitcher of his caliber should dominate a team with the third-worst record during the 2024 MLB season. Instead, his struggles highlight the extent of his physical concerns.
When healthy, Buehler is among the MLB’s best pitchers. He earned an All-Star selection in 2019 with a 14-4 record and a 3.26 ERA. Two years later, Buehler finished with a career-high 16 wins, leading to a 2.47 ERA and 0.968 WHIP.
Conversely, his 5.84 ERA after eight games this season is the second-worst mark of his career. He’s given up 46 hits, 24 earned runs, and ten home runs in 37 innings.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts did not give a definitive timeline for Buehler’s return. But until he’s on the injured list and playing subpar baseball, fellow pitcher Bobby Miller could solidify his spot on the team’s pitching rotation after being activated from the IL.
-Lance Fernandez