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Walker Buehler Likely Out Two To Three Months With Flexor Strain

By Mark Polishuk | June 11, 2022 at 11:58pm CDT

11:58PM: Buehler will be shut down from throwing for 6-8 weeks, Roberts told Jack Harris and other reporters, as the MRI revealed a flexor strain.  While Buehler will have to rebuild his arm strength almost from scratch afterwards, Roberts does believe the righty will be able to pitch again in 2022.

4:30PM: After Walker Buehler left yesterday’s game with discomfort in his right elbow, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya and The L.A. Times’ Jack Harris) that Buehler will be placed on the 15-day injured list.  The team has officially announced the transaction, listing Buehler’s placement as due to a right forearm strain.

Buehler is currently undergoing an MRI to determine the extent and nature of the injury, but Roberts said that the right-hander will miss “a good bit of time.”  Right-hander Michael Grove will be called up to take Buehler’s place on the active roster.  Buehler underwent Tommy John surgery in 2015, and though he has avoided any serious elbow/forearm issues since, it is naturally a concern to see Buehler again sidelined with any sort of related injury.  More will be known once the MRI results are revealed, as it isn’t yet clear if Buehler’s season (or beyond) could possibly be in jeopardy.

At the very least, the Dodgers will have a big vacancy to fill in the starting rotation, even if Buehler hasn’t been quite his ace-level self in 2022.  Buehler has a 4.02 ERA over 65 innings, with a very solid 6.2% walk rate but a below-average 21.2% strikeout rate and underwhelming Statcast numbers.  The biggest problem is Buehler’s four-seam fastball, which was at times a dominant plus pitch in 2018-21, but batters have been teeing off on the four-seamer this year.  The velocity has dropped off to an average of 95.2mph, though it isn’t that far below Buehler’s career average velo of 96.1mph on his four-seamer.

The Dodgers could have a rotation replacement for Buehler in relatively short order, as Roberts said that Andrew Heaney is set for another rehab start on Tuesday and could be activated from the IL for the Dodgers’ game with the Guardians on June 19.  Los Angeles also has off-days on both Monday and Thursday, so a fifth starter won’t be immediately necessary in the short term.

In the bigger picture, of course, losing Buehler for a significant amount of time will certainly increase the Dodgers’ focus on adding starting pitching at the deadline.  While L.A. has gotten its typically strong results from its rotation this year, pitching was already expected to be a target area, to add more depth and quality to the starting five.  President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman hasn’t been shy about adding major names (including such star pitchers as Max Scherzer or Yu Darvish) to the roster at past trade deadlines, so anything from depth additions to blockbuster deals could be on the table for the Dodgers prior to August 2.

Buehler is sidelined just as Clayton Kershaw returns from his own IL stint, leaving the Dodgers still short of their ideal top of the rotation.  Kershaw, Julio Urias, Tony Gonsolin, Tyler Anderson, and Heaney now form the current starting five, with Dustin May (TJ surgery) and Danny Duffy (flexor tendon surgery) expected to return at some point later in the season.  Pitchers like Grove, Ryan Pepiot, and Mitch White have also gotten some spot starts this season, and could be called upon again for more rotation work or potentially relief roles depending on how the club opts to deploy any of these hurlers.

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Los Angeles Dodgers Newsstand Transactions Michael Grove Walker Buehler

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Lance Lynn Likely To Be Activated Tuesday
View Comments (65)
Post a Comment

65 Comments

  1. losrojos

    3 years ago

    It has been a brutal week in baseball.

    2
    Reply
    • adolf marsilio

      3 years ago

      Just do not understand it. Today’s ballplayers are bigger, stronger, better trained and generally healthier BUT so so brittle.

      CAn anyone explain it?

      1
      Reply
      • SportsFan0000

        3 years ago

        And overworked from an very young age
        with non stop travel leagues and teams running up the mileage on young arms

        4
        Reply
  2. Ronk325

    3 years ago

    You can probably add the Dodgers to the list of teams exploring the SP trade market this summer

    2
    Reply
    • Curly Was The Smart Stooge

      3 years ago

      Call the waambulance, Dodgers have a bottomless pit of starting pitchers. No sympathy here

      13
      Reply
      • Misfit0620

        3 years ago

        Sounds like sour milk in your end Curly. Plus we all know Moe was king

        8
        Reply
        • Curly Was The Smart Stooge

          3 years ago

          Moe was my bitc*, sour milk comes from your farm, not mine

          5
          Reply
      • Ronk325

        3 years ago

        I’m not a Dodgers fan and I most definitely don’t pity them. I was just making an observation

        2
        Reply
        • captainsalty

          3 years ago

          It’s ok some people just use any opportunity to bash someone or in this case, an organization

          1
          Reply
        • Curly Was The Smart Stooge

          3 years ago

          Who is getting bashed?
          The only opportunist here is you

          1
          Reply
        • captainsalty

          3 years ago

          Cool story troll boy

          1
          Reply
  3. OhioDodger

    3 years ago

    Anxiously awaiting the MRI results.

    Reply
    • Yankee Clipper

      3 years ago

      Look at it this way: when has it not been TJS after this type of report?

      Unfortunately, he’s likely one of TJ’s many victims…or patients.

      5
      Reply
      • semut

        3 years ago

        Well, looks like this is one of those non-tj reports.

        Reply
  4. laswagn

    3 years ago

    come on now, you know he’s going under the knife. Dodgers are going to be busy this trade deadline

    Reply
  5. sfgiantsguy

    3 years ago

    Once he wasn’t allowed to use spider-tack it was all over

    5
    Reply
    • BeforeMcCourt

      3 years ago

      Except he was one of the best pitchers for the rest of the season after that went away…

      Hey, facts. Who needs em?!

      16
      Reply
      • DarkSide830

        3 years ago

        Yeah, that was an odd take.

        5
        Reply
      • Misfit0620

        3 years ago

        Giants fan what do you expect?!

        6
        Reply
      • MLB Top 100 Commenter

        3 years ago

        I am a Dodgers and Cubs fan, and I have read an article that Buehler’s spin rate did markedly go down after the rule change began being enforced. Yes, he was still a top 5 Cy Young pitcher for the remainder of last season, but it is possible that disallowing the grip substance contributed to the injury. So if GiantsGuy is saying that getting rid of the substance made Buehler a poor pitcher, he is 100% wrong and trolling, but could it have contributed to the injury, that is harder to say one way or the other.

        I hope that Buehler does not have too many days off.

        4
        Reply
    • Smacky

      3 years ago

      Wore his pants to tight. Squeezes to much blood into the rest of the body.

      8
      Reply
      • tstats

        3 years ago

        It helps him control his balls

        6
        Reply
      • taran7

        3 years ago

        Too

        Reply
    • amk1920

      3 years ago

      He was a top 10 starter in baseball last year lmao

      Reply
      • Smacky

        3 years ago

        It’s a repetitive thing like carpal tunnel. All that extra blood in the arm makes it heavy.

        1
        Reply
  6. Neon Cop

    3 years ago

    Genuinely feel bad for WB. 40+ pitchers have had a second TJ; hope it ain’t that. He’s one of the few likable players on the team.

    4
    Reply
    • Deadguy

      3 years ago

      Buehler Buehler anyone Buehler

      Reply
  7. Sid Bream Speed Demon

    3 years ago

    Ruh ro, not promising.

    Reply
  8. Never Remember

    3 years ago

    Tommy John. Won’t see him again until 2024. What a shame.

    Reply
  9. B-Strong

    3 years ago

    It says a lot about their trust in Price that they wont even consider him as a 5th starter when they need one.

    3
    Reply
    • Deadguy

      3 years ago

      Seems like Danny Duffy is even ahead of him on the depth chart

      1
      Reply
  10. blueblood1217

    3 years ago

    Oh no please don’t let this turn into a second TJ surgery.

    Reply
    • Blue Baron

      3 years ago

      It will or it won’t. It’s not up to anyone to decide to let it or not.

      Reply
  11. BigFred

    3 years ago

    I wonder why they called up Michael Grove instead of Ryan Pepiot, who has been much better?

    Reply
    • MLB Top 100 Commenter

      3 years ago

      BigFred:

      Simple answer, because Heaney will be ready to occupy the spot long term in two weeks.

      Rotation:

      Urias
      Kershaw
      Gonsolin
      Anderson
      Heaney

      Grove is just a fill-in until Heaney is back.

      1
      Reply
      • Shrutefarm

        3 years ago

        I would expect some regression from Gonsolin, Anderson (already seeing it), and Heaney. Bats need to get going and be more consistent. For example, one game they will go 6-10 w RISP and then go 3 games with 1-8, 2-10 etc.

        Reply
      • SportsFan0000

        3 years ago

        Or until the Dodgers give the A’s a package of young prospects
        for Frankie Montas.
        And, yes the Dodgers would give players and prospects
        for and pitcher they previously owned who then goes to another team
        for his “breakout”
        if it will help them win.

        Reply
  12. Pedro 4 Delino

    3 years ago

    The drop in velocity is concerning but the drop in spin rate is an even bigger %. Walker throws the high heat that needs a high spin rate to give it rise.

    Reply
  13. Rocker49

    3 years ago

    Tough break for Los Karens.

    5
    Reply
    • semut

      3 years ago

      Los Karens? Lol that doesn’t even make sense moron

      3
      Reply
  14. weaselpuppy

    3 years ago

    ✌️forearm strain✌️

    Reply
  15. Deleted Userr

    3 years ago

    Yikes

    Reply
  16. fox471 Dave

    3 years ago

    Cannot believe the Dodgers are still in first. They look sooooo bad!

    Reply
    • Neon Cop

      3 years ago

      They’ve played a ton of bad teams; it’s gonna get ugly.

      Reply
    • semut

      3 years ago

      Just makes the rest of the nlwest look like a joke

      Reply
  17. Kevin28786

    3 years ago

    The dreaded forearm strain.

    Reply
  18. RoastGobot

    3 years ago

    Dang 2 months at least let’s go

    1
    Reply
    • antibelt

      3 years ago

      Two months before he could start a throwing program. Maybe midSeptember. No sympathy here. League did the Dodgers a favor by essentially voiding the Bauer money, enabling them to put it elsewhere.

      2
      Reply
      • Jean Matrac

        3 years ago

        I wouldn’t characterize that as the league doing a favor for the Dodgers. I don’t think any favoritism was involved. Bauer was going to be suspended no matter which team he played for, and loss of salary is SOP. I would say they dodged a bullet though.

        2
        Reply
        • BlueSkies_LA

          3 years ago

          I’m sure the Dodgers don’t feel like they’ve dodged any bullets. They had to pay him for a half a season in which he did not pitch, and they had to trade top prospects to get Scherzer because the rotation was short. Also, they had to deal with nearly a year of roster and financial uncertainty, which is still not over. If his suspension is reduced on appeal they will owe him more.

          1
          Reply
  19. Dumpster Divin Theo

    3 years ago

    Ruh roh spaghetti oh

    Reply
  20. TradeAcuna

    3 years ago

    The Dodgers need to retool

    Bellinger and Muncy to Braves for Ozuna and Duvall

    Reply
    • Yankee Clipper

      3 years ago

      Speaking of Atlanta, I have an honest question: Why do they shut the lights completely off during the games sometimes? I may have missed something, and I know different ballparks have different celebratory light shows, but the stadium is, like, blacked out. Everyone just has cellphones lit up. Seems a bit weird.

      1
      Reply
      • slowcurve

        3 years ago

        Good way to save on electricity bill, not every team has Yankee money. Just kidding. It’s just a fun lighting effect. Most times it’s during the chop. Whether you’re a fan of the chop or not, you have to admit that 40,000 tiny lights moving in unison is pretty cool looking, and likely intimidating to visiting team.

        3
        Reply
        • Yankee Clipper

          3 years ago

          Oh, that’s cool. I just saw it recently and didn’t recall that occurring in seasons prior. Yeah, I can dig it, it’s cool.

          At first I thought perhaps Eddy was going to appear from a tunnel somewhere…. Then, full-on concert mode.

          Reply
      • tstats

        3 years ago

        That’s kinda cool

        Reply
  21. Melchez17

    3 years ago

    Trevor Bauer is available.

    2
    Reply
    • semut

      3 years ago

      You might have missed the part where he’s suspended for a couple years

      1
      Reply
  22. Shrutefarm

    3 years ago

    The equity of Luis Castillo just went up.

    1
    Reply
  23. JonathanJ

    3 years ago

    Good luck with him coming back this season…

    McCullers’ has the same injury which he hurt in the ALDS last year and still hasn’t pitched.

    Reply
  24. SportsFan0000

    3 years ago

    Frankie Montas Oakland A’s.

    Just a phone call away and a lucrative package of prospects.

    Reply
    • semut

      3 years ago

      Lol dodgers traded him away as a prospect. Doubt they’re trading more prospects just to get him back

      Reply
      • MLB Top 100 Commenter

        3 years ago

        They brought back Brett Butler and Matt Kemp, so they won’t sweat bringing back Montas if the price is not too high.

        Reply
      • SportsFan0000

        3 years ago

        Yes, the Dodgers would offer a package of top prospects for an ace and All Star starter like Frankie Montas.
        If they don’t, then their rivals the Padres or the Giants certainly will..
        OR some other team.

        Reply
  25. SportsFan0000

    3 years ago

    Certrainly not good news.

    “Flexor strain” is usually what they say before Tommy John surgery.

    Reply

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