Thirty-year-old Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler made what was probably his final rehab start on Thursday evening at Triple-A Oklahoma City, as he works his way back from his August 23, 2022 (second) Tommy John surgery and right hip inflammation.
The Lexington, KY native and Dodgers first round draft pick in 2015 out of Vanderbilt University allowed one run on one hit (a solo home run), while walking three and striking five Round Rock Express (Rangers) batters. He made 85 total pitches (48 strikes), retiring 15 of the 17 Express batters he faced in his 5.1 innings of work.
“He’s got one more then he’s got to help us at the major league level.” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters this past week.
That “one more” was Thursday night at OKC. As such, and on normal rest, Buehler could start for the Dodgers as early as Wednesday, August 14 against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field.
Welcome back, “Butane!”
Play Ball!
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Buehler looked good against Round Rock. Fingers crossed for his Brewers return.
This certainly puts into perspective the body parts that are involved in throwing/pitching a baseball. This from WebMD:
“Repeated activities can put strain on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support the hips. When they become inflamed due to overuse, they can cause pain and prevent the hip from working normally. One example is a strain in the hip flexor, a muscle where your thigh meets your hip.”
No more days off for Buehler
Buehler could be big help down the stretch. He has pitched some big games.