Steve Webb
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Making his second rehab start for the Oklahoma City Baseball Club, Walker Buehler wants everybody to know that he has every intention of competing on a high level once he returns to claim his spot in the Dodgers rotation.
After a so-so first outing, in which Buehler ended up going 3.1 innings, allowing three hits and four runs (three earned) with two walks and two strikeouts, he was looking to build on that. Both in terms of results and in terms of pitch count, and he did just that. This time around, he faced the Albuquerque Isotopes, the triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. Overall, his line was very good: 4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 6 Ks, 65 pitches According to eyewitnesses, his fastball sat at 93-95 MPH for the majority of the outing, but started to get down around 92 towards the end. The fastest pitch on the night was 95.3 MPH early on in the outing.
When Buehler began his rehab, Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts estimated that he’d be throwing around four starts in triple-A before joining the big club, perhaps in early May. Though his velocity still isn’t where it was a few years ago, all signs look promising for the return to be right on schedule. He probably won’t be ready to pitch on his bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium (April 20), but if the next couple outings go as planned, it won’t be long before he’s breathing fire on the mound at Chavez Ravine.
