The Los Angeles Dodgers organization boasts one of the best young left-handed pitchers in all of baseball in Julio Urias, who made his MLB debut in 2016 at just 19 years of age.
Urias was phenomenal in his rookie season, posting a 5-2 record with a 3.39 ERA, 3.17 FIP and 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings in 18 games (15 starts). The Dodgers have managed Urias’ innings, and that was the case in 2017 as he was not with the team to begin the season to limit his workload.
The organization’s best-laid plans were washed away, however, as Urias struggled in his short time with the Dodgers last season and then injured his shoulder while with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
It ultimately forced Urias to undergo season-ending surgery last June to repair a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder. He was projected to require 12-14 months of rehab, suggesting Urias will likely be back around the All-Star break.
The 21-year-old just crossed a big hurdle in his rehab, as he posted a video on Instagram of him throwing for the first time since the surgery:
The caption translates to “The happiest day of therapy thank god .. back with the ⚾️ after 7 months! #nevergiveup.”
In just 23.1 innings (five starts) last season with the Dodgers, Urias struggled and pitched to to a 5.40 ERA, 4.70 FIP and 1.59 WHIP with 11 strikeouts against 14 walks.
He recently said that he is feeling healthy and the recovery process is going well. Barring any setbacks, Urias could make an impact and provide the team with depth either as a starter or out of the bullpen in the latter half of 2018.
Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi declined to put any sort of timeline or estimate on when the club would possibly see their young lefty on the mound.
