Dodgers’ Walker Buehler Counting on Adrenaline Bump in Return to Major League Mound

Hang an asterisk on Walker Buehler’s minor league rehabilitation starts. All six of them.

Friday, Buehler said the adrenaline he felt on the mound during his rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City was basically nonexistent compared to a major league start.

Monday, he’ll have a chance to demonstrate proof of concept when he starts against the Miami Marlins – his first appearance on a major league mound since undergoing Tommy John surgery and a flexor tendon repair on his right elbow in June 2022.

“To be completely frank there’s not a whole lot of that for me down there,” Buehler said. “I wish there was. I wish it was easier for me to get going. I wish it didn’t sound so s–tty to say that. Pitching in the big leagues is something that I’ve been looking forward to for a long time.”

In his last start Tuesday against Salt Lake, Buehler’s sinker topped out at 94.6 mph and averaged 93.6. The average speed of all Buehler’s pitches was a tick below average, according to Statcast. While his fastballs were effective at eliminating hard contact, they did not yield the swings and misses Buehler is accustomed to.

Take those results with a grain of salt.

“The way his body feels is better,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think leading up to the surgery he was trying to get through things. I think body-wise, arm-wise, he’s in a much better spot. As far as the throw, characteristics, all that stuff, he’s still — I think he’s in a good spot but you don’t really know until you see him out there against major league hitters. But I think the velocity will be where it needs to be. We’ll see where the command’s at, and the teeth of the secondary, but I think he’s going to go out there and pitch well.”

With a bump in adrenaline often comes a bump in velocity, so perhaps Tuesday’s performance was not indicative of what the Marlins can expect to see from Buehler on Monday. That’s a scary thought for opponents. Buehler allowed only one run in six innings against Triple-A Salt Lake in his final tuneup, striking out five batters without allowing a walk.

According to Buehler, he could’ve gone back out for a sixth inning and stayed within his 90-pitch limit. He finished the day with 75 pitches.

“Getting through five (innings), I didn’t want to get up again coming into the first one here,” Buehler said. “There’s pitches and there’s up-and-downs. Up-and-downs for me are kind of the more difficult thing, so I didn’t want to get up again.”

The Marlins constitute a soft landing for Buehler. They had the second-worst record in the National League (9-24) entering play Friday. Buehler won’t need to be impressive to meet expectations, or even to beat the Marlins.

Roberts confessed to a sentiment familiar to many Dodger fans.

“It is his first start in so long,” Roberts said, “I think I’m just happy to see him out there.”

Photo Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, livestreams, and more!