Buehler (back) fired a pair of scoreless innings in relief Saturday, allowing one hit while striking out five in a spring win over the Cubs.
The Dodgers had been slow-playing their talented prospect from his minor back ailment. The extra rest apparently did wonders for the 23-year-old, as he was dialing his fastball up in the high 90s in Saturday's outing. Buehler will likely start the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City due to the Dodgers' crowded rotation. That said, several of their projected starters spent time on the disabled list last year, so Buehler could make his first major-league start at some point this season. The flamethrowing righty posted a 12.6 K/9 last season across four levels (including a brief September callup), so he should be on fantasy owners' radars regardless of whether he makes the Opening Day roster.