Manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday that Buehler (elbow) won't begin the regular season with the Dodgers, but the team hopes for Buehler to start a Cactus League game, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Buehler will miss the first few weeks of the season as he continues to work his way back from a Tommy John procedure he received in August 2022. He was originally not expected to appear in any spring training games, but the Dodgers' optimism toward getting him in a Cactus League game may be a sign that the 29-year-old righty is ahead of schedule in his rehab process. Once Buehler is able to return to Los Angeles' rotation, he will undoubtedly be under a strict workload restriction.