Dodgers P Walker Buehler will make his debut against the Marlins in 2024 after nearly two years of recovery from elbow surgery

Starting pitcher Walker Buehler makes his long-awaited return to the Majors.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the media on Wednesday that Buehler, who has been recovering from elbow surgery for nearly two years, will make his first start of the 2024 season on Monday against the Miami Marlins.

Buehler’s last rehab start for Triple-A Oklahoma City went well. He gave up one run on seven hits, zero walks and five strikeouts in five innings. Roberts had said earlier this week that Buehler would likely be called up if his latest rehab start was successful.

Monday’s start against the Marlins is the final step in a long recovery journey for Buehler. He last appeared on a Major League mound in June 2022, when he left a start due to elbow soreness. After arthroscopic surgery on that elbow, Buehler had Tommy John surgery in August 2022, but the surgery was more complicated than usual. He previously had Tommy John surgery in 2015, which replaced his UCL. In 2022, Buehler had his UCL replaced for the second time and also had his flexor tendon repaired.

There was originally optimism that Buehler could potentially return before the end of the 2023 season, as the rehabilitation timeline from Tommy John surgery is typically a year. But the multiple operation took more time. Buehler made one rehab start in September 2023, after which the Dodgers almost immediately announced he would not attempt another return until the start of the 2024 season.

Now that time has come and Buehler is ready. A few things are different from the last time he took a Major League mound, including the pitch clock and the presence of Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani with the Dodgers. But luckily pitching works the same way it always has.