When developing a young player with high expectations, each step in the process should be methodically thought out. While the Los Angeles Dodgers intended to utilize Julio Urias this season, it wasn’t necessarily under the circumstances that have dictated it.
Urias made a spot start against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday, throwing six scoreless innings with six strikeouts. He allowed six hits — all singles — and didn’t allow a runner to reach scoring position until the sixth inning.
The outing was perhaps of Urias’ young career with the Dodgers. He became just the third pitcher in franchise history with six scoreless innings pitched before turning 21 years old.
The performance left Reds manager Bryan Price impressed as his strategy to stack the lineup with right-handed batters didn’t pay off.
As the Dodgers front office and manager Dave Roberts continue to closely monitor Urias’ workload, the young southpaw said he’s handling this season just fine, according to Bill Plunkett of the OC Register:
“It’s important that I stay healthy because that’s the way I’m going to help this team,” he said through an interpreter Sunday. “Yes, this has been my first 100 innings (in a single season). But I feel strong. I feel good.”
Coming into this season, Urias’ career high was 87.2 innings, set in 2014 with High-A Rancho Cucamonga. He’s now thrown a combined 102 innings in time with Triple-A Oklahoma City and the Dodgers.
In 11 games (seven starts) with Oklahoma City, Urias is 5-1 with a 1.40 ERA and 0.87 WHIP. He’s 4-2 with a 3.95 ERA in 13 games (11 starts) for the Dodgers.
How the club will handle Urias for the remainder of the season is somewhat of an unknown. While a plan was in place to use him as a relief pitcher, recurring injuries in the starting rotation may very well dictate otherwise.
