Dodgers announce Walker Buehler has undergone successful Tommy John surgery
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Walker Buehler, the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and former Vanderbilt hurler, had successful Tommy John surgery on his right elbow Tuesday, both he and the team announced on Tuesday.
This was the second time Buehler has undergone the procedure, officially called UCL reconstruction surgery. In July 2015, after being drafted by the Dodgers in the 1st round, he had the surgery and needed a over a year to recover.
As such, ESPN’s Jeff Passan notes that since Buehler is a repeat Tommy John patient, the chances of the 2-time All-Star pitching in 2023 is unlikely.
Los Angeles Dodgers star right-hander Walker Buehler underwent Tommy John surgery today, he said on Instagram.
He'll miss the rest of the year and almost certainly all of the 2023 season, too. This will be his second Tommy John surgery, and recovery typically takes longer.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 23, 2022
Buehler hasn’t pitched since June after straining a flexor tendon in his right elbow. He was 6-3 with a 4.02 ERA before being sidelined.
He had his best season in the majors in 2021, when he went 16-4 with a 2.47 ERA, finishing 4th in NL Cy Young voting. He struck out 212 and walked just 52 in 207.2 innings.
With the VandyBoys, he went 12-2 with a 2.64 ERA as a sophomore, helping the program win its first national championship.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
