"I need these so bad" - Dodgers Walker Buehler hopes to lace up iconic Nike Cortez sneakers worn by Tom Hanks in 'Forrest Gump'

Walker Buehler has a favorite when it comes to sneakers. On Wednesday, Sole Savy uploaded a picture of iconic Nike Cortez sneakers, to which the Dodgers starting ace reacted with hopes of having them.

These sneakers are inspired by Tom Hanks from Forrest Gumps, a movie that is well revered among fans.

The Swoosh label is re-releasing the classic sneaker this spring. The iconic sneakers were first launched in 1972 and again in 2022 on the occasion of their 50th anniversary.

They are coming in one of the most purchased colorways, the Forrest Gump, which was released in 2018 and will make a return later this spring.

In the 1994 hit film, Forrest Gump receives the original Cortez as a present from Robin Wright's Jenny Curran before starting his epic run.

According to HypeBeast, the Nike Cortez “Forrest Gump” re-releases on May 1, 2024. They can be purchased from select retail outlets and on the website for $110.

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Walker Buehler's rehab going well; Dodgers manager reveals next goal for him

Walker Buehler has been out of major league action since June 2022 after being sidelined due to elbow issue.

He underwent Tommy John surgery in Aug. 2022 to repair his UCL and his flexor tendon. He was earlier slated to return in the 2023 postseason but was shut down due to a setback.

For now, he's down in the minors with the Triple-A team in Oklahoma City and has thrown a couple of rehab starts. The last one was an encouraging one. He pitched 4.2 innings for two hits, no runs and six strikeouts.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts updated Buehler will throw one more rehab start before he will be re-evaluated.

According to Dodgers Daily, his velocity was around 93–95 mph, with one even touching 96 mph.

“I’m trying to re-establish what normal is," he said in an interview with Just Baseball. "For right now, consistent is good enough for me.”

Though before getting injured, Walker Buehler used to throw his fastball in the range of 96–98 mph, the dip in velocity shouldn't feel concerning, given that it's still a rehab assignment and pitching injury-free is more important than throwing hard.