The Dodgers will recall right-hander Walker Buehler from Triple-A Oklahoma City and start him against the Marlins on Monday, according to a team announcement. It’ll be the first major league start for the 23-year-old Buehler, one of the most highly regarded pitching prospects in baseball.
Buehler, who has quickly ascended the ranks since the Dodgers chose him 24th overall in the 2015 draft, already comes with some big league experience. He made eight appearances out of the Dodgers’ bullpen toward the end of the regular season last year. It was a rough stint for Buehler, who allowed eight earned runs on 11 hits and eight walks in 9 1/3 innings.
While Buehler clearly struggled in Los Angeles in 2017, there were some positive signs, namely a high-90s heater that helped him rack up 12 strikeouts. He has consistently shown off that strikeout prowess in the minors, including early this season at Triple-A. Thus far, Buehler has fanned 16 (against four walks) and logged a 2.08 ERA over 13 innings. Buehler has only hit the five-inning and 80-pitch marks once in three starts in 2018, though, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register notes.
The Dodgers are accustomed to receiving short outings from the oft-injured Rich Hill, whose place Buehler will take for the time being after the veteran went on the disabled list with a finger issue earlier this week. The rest of the Dodgers’ rotation – Clayton Kershaw, Alex Wood, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Kenta Maeda – looks set at the moment, so this could be a short stay in the majors for Buehler. But he’s clearly the Dodgers’ highest-upside depth starter, ranking as their top prospect at MLB.com and the outlet’s 12th-best farmhand overall, and could emerge as a significant factor soon enough.
Hopefully 2018 will be a new page in the rookie’s chapter.
I wouldn’t put too much into his really bad September callup. Making it to the bigs 2 years after drafted/TJS is impressive
X2
….Kershaw to the bullpen now……
Just for playoffs
Haha like that’ll ever happen. They currently have just 4 starters since Hill went on the DL, and Buehler will be #5.
Are you only looking at his W-L record??
Kershaw may be 1-3 in 5 GS, but he has 3/35, BB/K, 33 IP, in 2018, to go along with a 2.45 ERA, and 0.97 WHIP.
0 BB and 22K his last 3 games. (At least 7.0 IP in each)
Kershaw would be 3-1 if he got any kind of run support.
Come on, how can you not see that this was clearly sarcasm?
You realize there are posters here, who prioritize Starting Pitcher Wins and losses, above all else right?
I figured even if it was a joke, I would reach them
You’re the only one that brought up wins and losses. But thank you for the stats that prove to all of those that doubt Clayton Kershaw is worthy of a starting rotation spot.
I brought up wins and losses because they are only thing that made the joke somewhat make sense lol Kershaw is 1-3… therefore “He sux!” 😉
Lighten up Francis. That was was they call sarcasm. Please sit in the corner for 3 days. No comments until then.
Laughable….
….so much for an ill attempt at sarcasm……
Most got the sarcasm… others are trying to buy collect $500 from Bill Gates for testing his email account.
Hill doesn’t have much left. Buehler or Uriads (next year) can fit in his slot.
Urias*
Hill has one year left.
My day has come.
break a leg!