Walker Buehler dealing with shoulder discomfort right as he finally starts to look like the star he once was with the Los Angeles Dodgers is a frustrating blow for the Boston Red Sox, and leaves the team with an opening in their rotation. Hunter Dobbins appears poised to fill that void.
Dobbins, Boston's No. 14-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline, has not started a game for Triple-A Worcester since April 24. The team has essentially had him on standby in case the MLB team needed him, and sure enough, there's a good chance he'll be called into action now.
While I'm not here to say Dobbins is Buehler, he is a pitcher Red Sox fans should be excited about.
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Hunter Dobbins could be Red Sox solution to Walker Buehler-sized hole in rotation
Dobbins debuted with the Red Sox in early April and made two solid starts. He allowed two runs in five innings in a win against the St. Louis Cardinals in his MLB debut, and followed that up 12 days later by allowing just one earned run in six innings in a win against the Chicago White Sox. He struck out five in his first start and tacked on six more punch-outs his second time out. Sure, he hasn't faced an elite MLB offense yet, but he certainly looks like a serviceable starter based on what Red Sox fans have seen from him so far.
In addition to his solid MLB appearances, Dobbins had a 3.08 ERA in the upper Minors last season, and allowed just one run in six innings his last time out for Worcester. He might not be a top prospect or a future ace, but all signs point to him being good enough, which is really what this Red Sox team needs right now.
At this point, it's unclear as to what Buehler is dealing with and how long he'll be sidelined. Red Sox fans hope the right-hander will return to the mound sooner rather than later, but with his injury and the fact that he's set to undergo testing back in Boston, it's anyone's best guess as to what's ahead.
While pitching depth is hard to find, Dobbins has the potential to be as good as it gets in that regard.