Walker Buehler surprisingly recovered quickly from his second Tommy John, but the Dodgers confirmed that he will not be joining their major league squad in 2023.

Although it was a disheartening response for the excellent right-handed pitcher, LA manager Dave Roberts explained the reasoning behind the choice in order to support the team’s long-term goals.

The organization concluded that Buehler’s return shouldn’t be hurried in order to win just one championship, despite a great rehab start in Oklahoma City last week.

“It’s nothing specific,” Roberts continued. It just took a little bit longer (to recover after that outing) since it was more of an adrenaline and effort reaction to facing hitters in a game. The wise course of action was to essentially say “that’s enough for this.” No more rehab games, and we are now concentrating on preparing him for 2024.

This line of reasoning is made all the more logical in light of what happened to one pitcher with connections to their current rival Nationals, Stephen Strasburg.

Despite the fact that Strasburg and his Washington teammates defeated the Dodgers on the road in game five of the 2019 NLDS, his valiant efforts in the World Series against Houston may have prematurely ended his career.

Strasburg signed a new extension after defeating the Astros in game 7 of the 2019 Fall Classic, but he was unable to finish it because of numerous injuries. Strasburg retired earlier this season after only a few games under the new contract.

The Dodgers won’t take a chance on the same circumstances for their own talented pitcher, especially coming off of Buehler’s second major elbow surgery.

Even while it may be frustrating, the former Vanderbilt star’s ability to even hint at a return to the postseason in 2023 is nothing short of incredible for his chances to throw well once more in the major league.

Although LA’s postseason rotation or bullpen will undoubtedly be without his services come October, it has always been clear that their executive management considers more than just the present.

But it’s becoming increasingly obvious that the Dodgers’ future pitching core may be what they need to win it all in 2023.