When Julio Urias required season-ending surgery last summer, the Los Angeles Dodgers hoped he would rejoin the team near the All-Star break of the 2018 season. Under that notion, the former top prospect would essentially represent an elite midseason acquisition.
However, Urias’ recovery did not progress as initially hoped, and he remains in the Minor Leagues. He made five rehab starts before officially being activated off the 60-day disabled list and optioned to High-A Rancho Cucamonga.
Urias has since been promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he’s appeared twice out of the bullpen. On Sunday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he wasn’t certain when Urias would next pitch.
Roberts presumed it would be “an inning” with the organization’s top affiliate. That wound up coming Monday, as the young left-hander entered in the fifth inning. Urias allowed a one-out single, then issued a walk and gave up another base hit with two outs.
He was removed after retiring only two of four batters faced. The shaky relief appearance came on the heels of another in which he struggled. Scheduled to go two innings, Urias recorded just one out and allowed two runs on two hits and two walks on Aug. 31.
Roberts attributed the early hook to Urias struggling. “I didn’t hear it was an injury or anything like that,” he said.
Although the club has lacked a clear strategy for Urias of late, Roberts maintained he has not fallen out of the picture. “He’s not off our radar. We said from the very beginning, when he’s ready and right physically, performance-wise to come, then he’ll come,” Roberts reminded.
“If either of those things doesn’t happen, then it just doesn’t make sense for us or him.”
If or when Urias joins the Dodgers, it will be as a relief pitcher. A decision was made last month to longer stretch him out as a starter because of a pressing need in the bullpen and time beginning to run short.
