One of the biggest X-factors for the 2019 Los Angeles Dodgers is Julio Urias. After an extended recovery process from a 2017 shoulder surgery, Urias will attempt to make this season his first completely healthy one since his rookie year in the Majors.
Urias gets the start for the Dodgers on Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics in what’s his first outing of the year. He will likely not make the team’s Opening Day roster, however, and will again have an innings limit in 2019.
That said, the Dodgers plan to use Urias more in his primary role as a starter this season, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had plenty of praise for the young lefty thus far in camp.
“He’s very fascinating,” Roberts said. “He’s just got maturity beyond his age. “The way he commands the mound and understands his pitch mix and what he wants to do. He’s got great composure.”
After completing the long journey back to health, Urias saw time with the Dodgers last September. He threw four shutout innings and eventually made the team’s National League Championship Series and World Series rosters.
Urias allowed one earned run over 3.1 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2018 NLCS. His most memorable moment came when he got eventual National League MVP Christian Yelich to fly out on an incredible catch by Chris Taylor in Game 7.
That game carried even more personal significance to Urias. He dedicated it to his grandmother just one day after she passed away.
Urias also allowed one run over three innings in the Dodgers’ five-game World Series loss to the Boston Red Sox.
Wednesday will mark Urias’ first start in a Dodgers uniform since 2017. While he remains buried on the team’s depth chart for now, Clayton Kershaw already dealing with shoulder trouble, could see Urias join the rotation sooner than expected.
