SAN FRANCISCO — Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler traveled to Los Angeles on Saturday morning to undergo an MRI on his injured right elbow and an examination by Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

As the team awaits the results, manager Dave Roberts acknowledged “it’s going to be a good bit of time” before Buehler is ready to pitch again.

“I just think that when you’re talking about that part of the arm and sort of some history with it and how it manifested last night, knowing that … we, a lot of times, take the conservative approach to get a player back, especially Walker,” Roberts said. “Again, I don’t know what that means and I’m hesitant to say right now.”

The Dodgers placed Buehler on the injured list Saturday with the official diagnosis a right forearm strain. Right-hander Michael Grove was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City with no plans for him to step into the starting rotation, Roberts said. Grove will pitch out of the bullpen in a long relief role.

Buehler left his start Friday night after four innings with elbow discomfort. After the game, Buehler admitted that he has had “stuff for years and years in the elbow.” This time, it “grabbed” in the third inning and persisted.

Losing Buehler leaves the Dodgers’ starting rotation with a significant hole just as Clayton Kershaw and Andrew Heaney are returning from their injuries. Kershaw made his return from a back injury Saturday. Heaney is scheduled to make his third and likely final rehab start Tuesday with Double-A Tulsa. He could rejoin the Dodgers next weekend.

“Walker is our Opening Day starter, so to lose him in any capacity is a blow,” Roberts said.

“I think that goes without saying. But whether Walker or any other guy in the rotation (is out), I don’t think any guy is going to change their mindset on how they approach a start. Tony (Gonsolin) is going to do what Tony does, Julio (Urias) is going to do the same thing and we’ve got Clayton back and whether Walker was healthy or not, Clayton was still going to pitch the way Clayton pitches. I don’t think it shows itself in that way, but I think guys understand that there’s going to be more asked of them. That just happens naturally.”

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Gonsolin and Tyler Anderson have been godsends for the Dodgers as they absorbed the loss of Kershaw and Heaney as well as Buehler’s recent struggles.

The Dodgers are expecting right-hander Dustin May to return from his Tommy John surgery at some point in the second half of the season.

But the likelihood of a long-term absence for Buehler is almost certain to send the Dodgers onto the mid-season trade market in search of starting pitching. They have been successful in that area over the years, adding players like Rich Hill, Yu Darvish and Max Scherzer through midseason trades. Among this year’s potential candidates are Luis Castillo and Tyler Mahle of the Reds, Frankie Montas of the A’s and Marcus Stroman of the Cubs.

More to come on this story.