The Los Angeles Dodgers turn to Julio Urias to start Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves, just two days after he pitched out of the bullpen.
Urias will be making his fourth appearance in 12 days, so fatigue could be an issue, however, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts doesn’t expect it to be.
“I mean, I think it’s certainly a possibility,” Roberts acknowledged. “But I think with Julio the expectation where we kind of, how we use him in his start days, it’s kind of 75, 80 pitches.
“So we just felt that, not having the bullpen, to be able to give us what he gives us on a typical start, we don’t think it would be compromised, no.”
The Dodgers used Max Scherzer in a similar fashion as he closed out Game 5 of the NL Division Series. He was scheduled to start the NLCS opener before being pushed back to Game 2.
Scherzer only threw 4.1 innings and 79 pitches in his outing and came out due to arm fatigue. However, Scherzer noted his usage is different compared to Urias’ and therefore is confident the left-hander will avoid the same pitfall.
“Julio’s coming from a smaller pitch count. I was coming from 110 to relief appearance to Game 2,” Scherzer said. “He’s coming from probably 60 pitches, throwing in Game 5, to a relief appearance. So he’s going to have an easier recovery coming from that.
“I had history pitching on two days’ rest. In 2019, I relieved in Game 2 and then started in Game 4 and I was able to go 109 pitches that game. I mean, my arm was dead after that one, but I knew if I had to realistically guess what my pitch count was going to be based on that experience, I thought it was going to be 95 pitches. Unfortunately, it wasn’t.
“So you got to look at the pitch counts over the past couple starts to really evaluate how you recover. And so for Julio, he’s coming from a different spot, a lower pitch count, so you can bet that he’s going to have a fresher arm and that he should be full go when he gets the start.”
Roberts previously said Urias would start Game 4 or 5, and then committed to him taking the mound Wednesday.
“I talked to Julio,” Roberts said. “Came in, played catch, worked out, had a great conversation with him and he feels great physically, mentally, all that stuff.”
Looking ahead after Urias
The decision to start Urias in Game 4 means the Dodgers will go to a bullpen day for Game 5, before Scherzer starts a potential Game 6 and Buehler goes if the NLCS stretches to a Game 7.
“There’s going to be a bullpen game Game 4 or Game 5. We knew that going in,” Roberts said on Monday. “So now it’s what puts Julio in the best chance to be most effective and that’s kind of knowing that Max is going to start Game 6.”
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