Julio Urias’ time with the Los Angeles Dodgers arrived Thursday, with the young left-hander inserted into the rotation to face the San Francisco Giants in the finale of a four-game series at AT&T Park.
The Dodgers again have Urias on an innings limit, and further managed the 20-year-old by putting the clamps on his workload during the spring. Urias threw just 8.1 innings over five Cactus League games, making three starts.
He remained in extended Spring Training when the Dodgers broke camp, and later reported to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Urias threw 93 pitches in 5.2 innings of his final outing with OKC.
He started Thursday with a more liberal pitch count than what was in place for much of last season. Urias said that had a positive impact and so too did experience gained in 2016, via SportsNet LA:
“I felt great, thank God. It went better than I anticipated, the pitches worked well. … I did feel a little more comfortable having the 90-pitch count. You can work a little better and I was able to go further into the game. You always want to pitch as many innings as you can. I feel like what I did last year was able to help me build my confidence.”
Urias held the Giants to just one run on four hits in 5.2 innings, walked four and had four strikeouts. He worked out of trouble on multiple occasions, and if not for a self-inflicted mishap — errant pickoff throw — Urias may have given the Dodgers six shutout innings.
As part of loosening the reins on their precocious lefty, the Dodgers intend to keep Urias in the starting rotation for the duration of the season. Last year he was with the club for three separate stints.
