last week , Los Angeles Dodgers It was announced that right-handed Walker Buehler will undergo elbow surgery at the end of the season on August 23. The exact nature of the surgery was unknown at the time, but, on Tuesday, Buehler revealed he needed his second Tommy John surgery. The timing indicates that he will miss the entire 2023 season.
Buehler made Tommy John’s surgery announcement himself on Instagram:
Buehler hasn’t participated in majors since June 10, just days before he underwent surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow. The National League leader in the West had been hoping to be able to return before the extended tour and 2022 post-season, but that won’t be the case.
Tommy John’s surgery these days comes with a 14-16 month rehabilitation schedule, although it may be longer for a second Tommy John surgery. Buehler underwent his first Tommy John surgery shortly after being put into the first round in 2015. Barring any setbacks, he should be able to return to spring training in 2024. This will be his last season before becoming a free agent.
Buehler, 28, has made just 12 appearances this season, racking up 4.02 ERAs (103 ERA+) and 58 strokes in 65 innings. The two-time All-Star ranked fourth in the NL Cy Young award voting last year after accumulating 2.47 ERA (169 ERA+) and a 4.08 strike-to-walk ratio in 207 career highs.
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Buehler’s absence for the rest of the season is a blow to the Dodgers, who are not playing left-hander Clayton Kershaw (low back pain) at the moment. Young Dustin May recently returned from his Tommy John surgery.
As it stands, it seems likely that the Dodgers match will feature a rotating ensemble of Julio Urreas, Tony Gonsulin, Andrew Heaney and Tyler Anderson. Of course, a lot could change over the course of the next month, and the Dodgers will likely end up using May or Rookie Ryan Pepiot instead if they feel better right-handed matches with their opponents in the post-season.
The Dodgers entered Tuesday with a record 84-37 on the season, giving them the highest mark in all of Major League Baseball. The Dodgers plus-260 running differential is also the best in the sport, with only one other team ( New York Yankees) lies within 100 times of this output.
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