Walker Buehler Feels He Belongs Again After 2024 Debut

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler made his long-awaited return to the mound on Monday, and even though his outing didn’t go as well as he hoped, his velocity sparked reason for optimism. 

Buehler recorded multiple pitches of 97 and 98 mph during the first inning, catching himself a little off-guard and leaving him satisfied despite allowing three runs on six hits over four innings against the Marlins.

“It made sense with how amped up I was feeling or how fast my heart was going, I guess,” he told reporters after the game. “I wasn’t super surprised, but you think about 22 months and now three surgeries and dealing with that kinda stuff. I think the first fastball was 96 and you look up and you kinda get that ‘I belong here’ thing. Yeah, it was cool.”

But what can we expect to see from the Dodgers’ former ace in his starts to come? Buehler has an idea.

Buehler Expects Better Going Forward

The Dodgers have been winning at a high rate this season even with pitchers like Buehler, Bobby Miller and Clayton Kershaw sidelined.

A return to form for Buehler could take this team to another level.

The former ace was phenomenal in his last full season in 2021 – going 16-4 with a 2.47 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 212 strikeouts across 207 ⅔ innings. 

Though he struggled in 12 starts before his season ended early due to Tommy John surgery midway through 2022, Buehler was still an effective pitcher. 

He credited adrenaline and nerves to his velocity on Monday – with his fastball sitting at 95 mph for most of his four innings – and said seeing those numbers on the scoreboard gave him confidence to feel better about his game in his next start.

“I think the next one I’ll probably feel the same and be able to temper it a little bit knowing that it’s in there,” he said. “So, I think I’ll have probably a little bit higher expectation of myself my next outing.”

There’s no doubt that Dodgers fans will share those high expectations, too. 

However, it may take more time than most hope for Buehler to complete his comeback. He lasted just 77 pitches on Monday and said he tired out early on as the adrenaline wore off.

“One or two of these (starts) I’ll probably mentally kinda tell myself it’s some sort of rehab start in some way,” Buehler said. “Obviously, I want to compete. I want our team to win.

“... But 22 months is a long time, man. So there’s some stuff that’s kinda subconscious, or unconscious even, that you don't think about that when you don’t play you kinda forget. I don't think I held runners very well. There’s little stuff like that that kinda comes back over time no matter how good of shape you’re in. I was so tired in the second inning even though I feel like I’m in good shape.”

In other words, be patient with Buehler as he attempts a nearly two-year layoff from pitching at the MLB level.

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