Walker Buehler's long-awaited Dodgers return might require more waiting

What do Roberts and the Dodgers need to see from Buehler?

"Command," Roberts said. "He hasn't pitched in a long time, but when you're [about to be] pitching for us, you have to be good, too. I expect him to dial it in."

Buehler was the team's ace during his last full season in 2021, when he went 16-4 with a 2.47 ERA in a major league-high 33 starts, striking out 212 and walking 52 in 207 2/3 innings, and he has thrived in October, going 3-3 with a 2.94 ERA in 15 playoff starts, striking out 101 and walking 31 in 79 2/3 innings.

His five-pitch mix, which is headed by a four-seam fastball that averaged 95.3 mph in 2022, includes a cut-fastball, knuckle-curve, slider, sinker and change-up. He has touched 96 mph with his fastball in his rehab starts and believes his velocity will improve when he returns to the big leagues.

"I think everyone hopes the adrenaline [of a major league game] will make you throw harder," Buehler said. "My velo has been OK, but maybe we'll get a tick or a little bump. You guys have seen me for a few years and know that I'm pretty emotional [on the mound], so I think I'm definitely excited to feel everything again."

If Buehler can get his pitch count up to 85-90 over five innings and show consistent command of his secondary pitches, he could return to the Dodgers rotation next week for the first time since June 10, 2022.

But it has already been almost two years since Buehler has pitched in the big leagues, and the Dodgers aren't going to rush his return. If he needs one more minor league start after Wednesday night's game, so be it.

"We're just trying to figure out where he is physically," Roberts said. "The pitch count is getting up. The stuff was much better [last week], arguably as good as it's been in a long time. So that's good.

"He just couldn't land the curveball. I appreciate he was making an effort to do that. But the [between-starts] bullpen was good, so he's in a really good spot. But to get him up and down five times in his next outing, I think, will be very helpful."

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Staff writer Jack Harris contributed to this report.