RADIO
Walker Buehler 2019 Outlook: A Future Ace in the Making
6 years agoWalker Buehler is projected to be the Dodgers' number two starter in 2019 behind Clayton Kershaw. This should come as no surprise after he finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year Race in 2018 while his 9.9 K/9 had him finish in the top-20 among pitchers with 130 innings. While his 3.04 FIP, 3.21 xFIP, and 3.31 SIERA suggest a bit of a regression from his 2018 ERA of 2.62, there doesn’t seem to be anything hidden in his stats that would suggest a sophomore slump for the 24-year-old. The one concern owners should take into consideration come draft day is how Buehler will perform after an increased workload last year. Buehler threw a combined total of 153.1 innings between the minors and Los Angeles last year, or 50 more innings than his previous career total. Buehler’s current ADP is at 38, but that might be a little higher than where owners should be drafting him right now. Look to target Buehler at an ADP around 56, with the expectations of about the same line as last year — 20-25 starts and 150 strikeouts — with an ERA closer to 3.10.
