Walker Buehler continues to work his way back from his second Tommy John surgery. The Los Angeles Dodgers star pitcher threw his first live batting practice of 2024 spring training on Tuesday, via Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times.

On Wednesday, Buehler told Harris he felt good during his round of live BP, and, perhaps just as important, his fastball was sitting 94-95 MPH.

The update is a promising one, but it's uncertain when he will officially return to the rotation. Los Angeles will not rush Buehler back. The rotation is deep enough to find success as he continues to recover.

Buehler discussed his Tommy John recovery on SportsNet LA.

“I got hurt in June of whatever year that was,” Buehler said. “It's been a minute. Last year it was worth trying (Buehler tried to return in the second-half but ultimately opted for a 2024 return) and I'm glad we did. But I think we made the right decision as an organization and personally. I feel healthy and ready to go.

“I know it will be a little late off the jump probably but we want to be really good at the end and that's kind of the goal for everyone.”

Dodgers: How effective will Walker Buehler be after his return?

Buehler hasn't pitched in an MLB game since 2022. At just 29 years old, the right-hander has undergone two Tommy John surgeries. It's extremely unfortunate because Buehler is one of baseball's best pitchers when healthy.

He's a two-time All-Star who finished fourth in National League Cy Young voting in 2021. Again, though, he is only 29 years old. There's reason to believe that despite undergoing multiple Tommy John surgeries, Buehler can still pitch at a high level.

The Dodgers will need to exercise patience once he returns. It is possible that Buehler struggles when he initially re-joins the rotation. And that would not be a big deal, as he has not pitched in almost two years.

LA will ease him back into the swing of things. The primary goal is making sure Buehler is ready to impact the rotation in the playoffs.

To answer the question, though, Buehler can indeed be effective for this Dodgers team moving forward if he manages to stay healthy.