Dodgers News: Julio Urias Likely to Begin Season in Minors
By Evan Lovett
There was unfortunate Dodgers news out of Camelback Ranch yesterday, as manager Dave Roberts inferred that it was less than likely that Julio Urias would begin the season with the big league club.
Roberts told the L.A. Times that Urias could begin the season in extended spring training. While Dodgers fans breathlessly await Urias’ official placement in the rotation, a recent bout with strep throat created enough of a speed bump for the Dodgers’ brass to reconsider earlier plans; thus resulting in this bit of Dodgers news.
This may end up an unintentional benefit to the Dodgers, as the Dodgers plan to limit Urias to 180 innings this season.
What is clear is that the Dodgers do not plan to use Urias out of the bullpen this season. Roberts has stated as much multiple times to different sources.
The Dodgers are very careful about monitoring the workload of the 20-year old wunderkind. The plan this spring was for Urias to build arm strength, stretching longer into games with each start.
The kibosh was put on that plan after the illness. Urias, the Culiacan Rosales, Sinaloa, Mexico native, has provided glimpses of brilliance – and flashbacks to Fernandomania – during his brief stints with the Dodgers.
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Making his first appearances in 2016 as a 19-year old, the burly left-hander appeared poised, calm and prepared for life in the major leagues. He finished the season with a 5-2 record, 3.39 ERA and 84 strikeouts in only 77 innings, drawing comparisons to Felix Hernandez, Dwight Gooden and Bob Feller as well as former Dodgers great Fernando Valenzuela.
Urias’ time with the Dodgers will come, and the extended spring training may increase the likelihood that Urias will be fresh and have innings remaining if the Dodgers, as expected, go to the postseason.
As it currently stands, Clayton Kershaw, Kenta Maeda, Rich Hill, and Brandon McCarthy would be the Dodgers first through fourth starters, with Hyun-Jin Ryu and Alex Wood still fighting for the fifth spot.
Soreness and injuries to Scott Kazmir and Brock Stewart preclude both of those pitchers from breaking camp in the rotation. Ross Stripling, a spot starter in 2016, will likely begin this season in the bullpen.
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While this Dodgers news certainly is not the most drmatic, it may be dissapointing to fans of Julio Urias. However, Los Angeles does still have a surplus of arms, and should be in no hurry to rush Urias.