Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts named Julio Urias the starter for Wednesday’s game against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields. The start will be Urias’ debut in 2017 Spring Training.
Up to this point he’s thrown multiple bullpen sessions and one live batting practice, facing Yasmani Grandal, Joc Pederson, Corey Seager and Justin Turner. Urias was said to have gotten the better of his teammates during the throwing session.
Last spring, Urias allowed four runs on five hits and had three strikeouts in three innings pitched across two relief appearances.
Although Urias is following Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill and Kenta Maeda in the Dodgers’ spring rotation, it’s not necessarily an indication of what’s to come during the regular season. Particularly with Urias a candidate to remain in extended Spring Training when the club breaks camp.
Beyond Kershaw, Hill and Maeda, Los Angeles is working a juggling act and competition to fill out the remaining 40 percent of their rotation. Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy, Brock Stewart, Ross Stripling and Alex Wood factor most prominently in the discussion.
“In our initial meetings with the pitchers, we told them there’s got to be some give,” Roberts said. “There’s only five rotation spots right now, and Rick [Honeycutt] is doing a great job of trying to get guys their opportunities.
“In a perfect world, we’d like them all to pitch in an A game. But sometimes they have to pitch on a backfield. That’s just the way it is.”
Ryu threw a bullpen session Sunday, and Kazmir is scheduled to follow suit on Monday. Roberts indicated they’re candidates to start Wednesday night against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium.
