General manager Farhan Zaidi said he doesn't expect Buehler to be in the Dodgers' starting rotation to open the 2018 season, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
The Dodgers have an excess amount of starting pitchers, so they'll play it safe with their top prospect and keep him out of the big-league rotation to start the season in an attempt to limit his workload. "We have to find a way to maximize his impact over the full season," Zaidi said. While nothing has been confirmed, it sounds like Buehler will open the year with Triple-A Oklahoma City, and if he shows improved control, he could join the Dodgers' rotation early in the summer. Los Angeles will likely cap him around 135 innings this season.