Despite struggles, Dodgers' Walker Buehler to return next week

Despite less than ideal numbers from his rehab outings at Triple-A Oklahoma City, right-handed pitcher Walker Buehler is expected to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting rotation next week.

In two rehab stints following a hip injury, Buehler allowed eight runs on 15 hits and five walks in 6 2/3 innings. On Thursday at Oklahoma City, Buehler threw 86 pitches in 3 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and three walks.

Still, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Buehler will be back in the starting rotation after one more rehab outing.

"Honestly, I don't think it matters," Roberts said of Buehler's results at Triple-A. "He said he felt better about this one (Thursday) than the last one. The results certainly weren't there. He's an All-Star major-league pitcher. So at some point in time, you do the build-up. He's got one more, then he's got to help us at the major-league level.

"It comes down to Walker competing, making pitches and us running him out there. That's where I'm at."

Buehler missed most of the 2022 season and all of 2023 campaign after having a second Tommy John surgery. He has been unable to approach his success of 2018 to 2021, when he won 39 games and didn't have an ERA above 3.44.

In eight starts before landing on the injured list on June 19, Buehler went 1-4 with a 5.84 ERA and 31 strikeouts.

Buehler, 30, is 47-20 with a 3.17 ERA in seven major league seasons, all with Los Angeles.

--Field Level Media