"Not bad for a pitcher whose arm is a ticking time bomb" - Walker Buehler's $8,025,000 agreement to avoid arbitration leaves Dodgers fans skeptic

For Walker Buehler, the 2022 season was one of brilliance overshadowed by struggle. Now, it appears as though the Dodgers pitcher will have another chance to prove himself.

On January 11, the Dodgers announced that they inked the 29-year old to a $8.025 deal to avoid arbitration, clearing the way for Buehler's seventh season in Dodger blue.

However, after undergoing Tommy John surgery in the summer of 2022, Walker Buehler has not pitched since. After throwing a complete game shutout in April of 2022, Buehler has been relegated to the sidelines.

"Source: Walker Buehler, Dodgers settle at $8.025 million, avoiding arbitration" - Robert Murray

Fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers are all too aware of this. Upon hearing the news of Buehler's new deal with the team, several took to social media to question the move given Buehler's precarious health over the past two years.

A two-time All-Star and former Cy Young Award finalist, Buehler's last good season came in 2021. That year, the Kentucky-native pitched in a league-high 33 games, amassing a 16-4 record alongside an ERA of 2.47. However, he has failed to come close to that brand of success ever since.

Walker Buehler hopes to be back in the lineup come opening day. If he is healthy, he will be part of one of the most touted pitching rotations in modern history. In addition to 6-foot-8 former Tampa Bay Rays ace Tyler Glasnow, the team will also boast Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Several fans eluded to Shohei Ohtani's unorthodox contract with the Dodgers. Under the terms of the deal, the defending AL MVP will receive a mere $2 million salary, deferring $680 million until the completion of his contract in 2034. Some fans seem to be jokingly wondering if that sort of payroll magic will be at play with Walker Buehler.

Walker Buehler's return to MLB normality will take place in the limelight

For many pitchers, the opportunity to feature in the same rotation as names like Ohtani, Glasnow, Kershaw, and Yoshinobu would be an honor. However, after taking an extended period off from baseball, some wonder whether or not Buehler will respond well to that kind of pressure.

After all, LA is a notoriously difficult place to play, and fans can be unforgiving at the best of times. With the team expected to field the most competitive rotation for a very long time, Buehler's return will come against a star-studded backdrop.