Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that if right-hander Walker Buehler's (elbow) minor-league rehab start goes well on Thursday night and he gets to 80 to 90 pitches, he will be a strong candidate to return to the starting rotation next week. Buehler is getting very close to making his 2024 debut after missing all of the 2023 campaign due to Tommy John surgery that he underwent in August of 2022. It would be unfair to expect the 29-year-old to immediately return to his pre-surgery levels, but it doesn't mean he shouldn't be rostered in all fantasy formats. Before having elbow surgery, Buehler was a fantasy ace when he was on. Pick him up off your league's waiver wire immediately if he's somehow available.

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler (elbow, hand) is set to make his next rehab start on Thursday with Triple-A Oklahoma City. According to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, Buehler is fine and will pitch his next rehab start on Thursday. The 29-year-old was removed from Friday's rehab start after taking a comeback to his right hand. Buehler will do a tune-up start on Thursday and could rejoin the Dodgers the following week. LA's rotation is banged up with Bobby Miller (shoulder), Emmett Sheehan (forearm), Clayton Kershaw (shoulder), and Dustin May (elbow) all on the injured list. Fantasy managers should continue to stash Buehler in all leagues, as he is expected to return from the injured list soon.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler's (elbow) third minor-league rehab start on Friday was cut short after he was struck in the right hand by a comebacker. Buehler threw only two innings before departing, but it sounds like his exit was a precautionary measure. This could have been Buehler's last rehab start on his way back from Tommy John surgery, but the Dodgers may now want him to get one final tune-up appearance before rejoining the rotation following such a long layoff. The 29-year-old All-Star right-hander should still be able to return by late April and obviously needs to be stashed in all fantasy leagues at this point. Who comes out of LA's rotation upon Buehler's comeback remains a question mark, but Ryan Yarbrough's 3.29 ERA and 1.02 WHIP through four starts may give him the upper hand over Gavin Stone's 9.00 ERA and 2.13 WHIP over his two appearances.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler (elbow) allowed two hits across 4 2/3 scoreless innings in a rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday. He struck out six batters without issuing a walk and touched 95.3 MPH on his fastball. The 29-year-old's first rehab outing wasn't the prettiest, but this was a far more impressive showing. The current plan is for Buehler to make a couple more rehab starts before joining the Dodgers staff in late April. There's no guarantee that Buehler recaptures his former SP1 status, but he should definitely be stashed in all fantasy formats.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-hander Walker Buehler's (elbow) next minor-league rehab start will be on Saturday with Triple-A Oklahoma City again. It will be Buehler's second rehab start after he gave up four runs (three earned) on three hits while walking two and striking out two in 3 1/3 innings (54 pitches) in his first rehab start with OKC on Easter Sunday. The 29-year-old's first rehab start wasn't very pretty, but all that matters is that he didn't have a setback with his surgically repaired right elbow that kept him from pitching all of last year. If everything goes smoothly during his rehab assignment, Buehler is expected to make four rehab starts and then make his 2024 debut for the Dodgers later this month. Things may be bumpy early on, but Buehler deserves to be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler (elbow) is expected to throw 40 to 50 pitches in his first rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday. Initially the expectation was that Buehler would go four-to-five innings, but the Dodgers have opted for a lighter workload. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts speculated that Buehler will need around four rehab starts before he can re-join the major-league rotation. The 29-year-old missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but his return is creeping closer, barring any setbacks. Buehler should be stashed in all fantasy formats, as he could provide high-end value once fully healthy.

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler will begin a rehab assignment and is scheduled to pitch 4-5 innings, according to manager Dave Roberts. The skipper added that it's "reasonable" Buehler will need around four rehab outings before returning to the big club. The 29-year-old missed the entire 2023 season after undergoing a second Tommy John surgery in August of 2022. Unsurprisingly, the Dodgers have proceeded with caution with Buehler and have brought him along slowly this spring. The righty was enduring a down 2022 season prior to the procedure with a 4.02 ERA in 12 starts, a full run above his 3.02 career mark. Add in a career 20.6% K-BB% and Buehler is an excellent injury stash and should be rostered in all formats upon his return.

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler (elbow) is "coming sooner than I think we anticipated," according to manager Dave Roberts. Buehler will either head to Triple-A Oklahoma City or Arizona next to continue building his arm up. The 29-year-old threw four simulated innings before the team's exhibition game on Monday against the Los Angeles Angels but is opening the 2024 season on the injured list. Buehler missed all of the 2023 campaign while recovering from Tommy John surgery, so his fantasy upside will be limited this year while being on an innings limit. However, he deserves to be stashed in all fantasy leagues to begin the year since he has the ability to be an X factor for fantasy rotations if he's able to recover his pre-injury form for the Dodgers. We'll have a better idea of when Buehler might be able to make his season debut, but don't be surprised if it's not until May.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-hander Walker Buehler (elbow) threw four simulated innings to Dodgers hitters before the team's exhibition game at Dodger Stadium on Monday. A rehab assignment is "close" for Buehler, but up next will be a bullpen session in two to three days. "He's been through the rehab process, facing his own hitters, the simulated games quite a bit over the last year. I think he's sort of over it," Roberts said. The 29-year-old missed all of last year while recovering from Tommy John surgery and will begin the 2024 campaign on the injured list. While the Dodgers are going to bring Buehler along slowly in the first half so they won't have to limit his innings down the stretch, he deserves to be stashed in all fantasy leagues and could be a difference-maker for managers once he's fully healthy.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed starting pitcher Walker Buehler (elbow) on the 15-day injured list. Buehler missed all the 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2022. 2022 was the worst season of his young career and much could be attributed to his injury. There is no clear timetable as to when the 29-year-old will return to big-league action, but mid-to-late April is the expectation. Buehler has thrown many live batting practice sessions this spring and the Dodgers have been encouraged. He will likely need a minor league rehab assignment before returning to the bump, but he offers high upside for those willing to gamble in 2024.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler (elbow) threw two innings against hitters on Thursday, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Buehler is recovering from Tommy John surgery and is expected to miss the start of the 2024 season. However, it is still promising to hear that not only did he face hitters, but he also "got a round of applause afterwards," according to Ardaya. Buehler continues to make progress in his recovery and figures to be a strong mid-season fantasy addition assuming he doesn't suffer any setbacks. When Buehler last pitched in 2022, he maintained a 3.80 FIP, 48.0 GB%, 8.03 K/9, and 2.35 BB/9.

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler (elbow), who is recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, won't be in the Opening Day starting rotation. However, manager Dave Roberts said that the hope is to give him one Cactus League start later this month before the regular season kicks off. The 29-year-old Buehler had Tommy John surgery back in August of 2022, but he won't open the 2024 season on time and could miss the first month of the season so that the Dodgers don't have to shut him down late in the season while being on an innings limit. His long layoff will certainly curb his fantasy upside this year, but if he can regain his pre-injury form, Buehler should serve as a very useful fantasy arm with the best lineup in baseball backing him.

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler (elbow) said he felt good during his first live batting practice session of camp on Tuesday and that his fastball was sitting at 94-95 mph. Buehler said he will probably need another three to four live batting practice sessions before being ready for game action, but he sounded encouraged by his progress of late. The 29-year-old didn't pitch in the big leagues at all in 2023 while recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2022, and the Dodgers are slow-playing him at spring training. There's no timetable for when he'll make his 2024 season debut, and fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if the Dodgers keep him out for the entire first month in order to help them manage his innings. Buehler is a risk coming off a lost season in 2023, but his track record before his elbow injury was solid enough to take a chance on him in all fantasy leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler (elbow) is scheduled to face hitters for the first time this spring on Tuesday. Buehler didn't pitch for the Dodgers at all in 2023 while recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2022. As a result, the team is slow-playing him in camp this year, and he's not going to be ready to pitch to begin the season. The Dodgers aren't exactly putting a specific timeline on when he might make his 2024 debut, but fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if he's held out for the entire first month of play. It's unclear what to expect from the 29-year-old once he does return to the Dodgers' starting rotation this year, but Buehler has proven to be a fantasy ace before having elbow surgery, making him worth the risk as a back-end rotation option in all mixed leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn't have a firm timeline for when right-hander Walker Buehler (elbow) will return to a major-league mound after his delayed start on the injured list this year, but it's "unlikely" that he'll pitch in any Cactus League games in spring training. The 29-year-old will open the 2024 regular season on the injured list and could miss as much as the entire first month while recovering from his second Tommy John surgery. The Dodgers prefer to hold Buehler back at the beginning of the season, rather than at the end. He was only able to make one rehab outing in 2023 and will not be rushed back onto a mound this spring. Buehler showed ace-like potential before his injury, but fantasy managers are going to want to temper expectations for him this year while on an innings limit.

There is currently no timeline for Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler (elbow) to make his 2024 season debut. "There's still no hard start date. There's a progression that needs to be in place and is in place. Once he passes all those markers he'll be ready to go. I just don't know when that's going to be," manager Dave Roberts said. Coming off Tommy John surgery after missing all of 2023, Buehler isn't going to be ready for the start of the 2024 campaign and could end up missing the entire first month of the season so that LA doesn't have to limit his innings down the stretch. The 29-year-old showed before his injury that he has the potential to be a fantasy ace, but managers may want to temper their expectations for Buehler in 2024.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler (elbow) is currently on a "slow program" and won't be on the Opening Day roster, manager Dave Roberts said Saturday. As Eric Stephen of SB Nation notes, it's currently unclear whether Buehler will participate in extended spring training or a different method of rehab. Outside of one Triple-A appearance last season, Buehler hasn't pitched since 2022. The Dodgers have a very strong rotation and are in no rush to get Buehler back, but they would certainly benefit from the return of a young hurler who has eclipsed 5.0 fWAR twice since 2019.

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler (elbow), who had his second Tommy John surgery in August of 2022, may be delayed (by design) to open the 2024 regular season, according to general manager Brandon Gomes. Recent additions of Japanese lefty Yoshinobu Yamamoto and right-hander Tyler Glasnow allow the Dodgers to "slow play" Buehler entering the 2024 campaign. He's expected to be at full strength for spring training after returning to the mound late in 2023 in the minors by throwing two innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City in September. Buehler struggled in his recovery after throwing sessions, though, and was eventually shut down. The Dodgers are most certainly going to limit his innings in 2024, but to what extent isn't known. Fantasy managers need to keep in mind that Buehler could be held back for the entire first month of the season.

Right-hander Walker Buehler and the Los Angeles Dodgers avoided salary arbitration on Thursday by settling at $8.025 million for the 2024 season, according to a source. Buehler will receive the same salary from 2023 after he missed all of the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. The 29-year-old will no longer be eligible for arbitration and will become a free agent following the 2024 campaign. He started a minor-league rehab assignment last September but never pitched in a major-league game. Barring any setbacks this offseason, Buehler should be good to go for Opening Day, although LA could look to limit his innings after not pitching at all last year. Buehler will be a risk/reward fantasy starter that might have to shake off some rust early on.

Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said that the team is still discussing whether to put an innings limit on right-hander Walker Buehler (elbow) in 2024. "We're still talking about it. I think it's always striking the balance of how to do it. There's a lot of different ways to go about making sure he's in the best position possible for the stretch run. It's something we'll keep having conversations with him as we get closer to spring," Gomes said. Buehler missed all of the 2023 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery he had last August, but he could have made a return to the Dodgers' starting rotation in the postseason had they advanced past the Divisional Round. The 29-year-old is a fantasy ace when healthy, but a potential innings cap early in the year will hang over his prospective fantasy managers in 2024.