The Los Angeles Dodgers recently lost one of their key pitchers as Julio Urias accepted a 20-game suspension for a domestic violence incident with his girlfriend back in May.
Because Urias missed five games while on administrative leave after the incident originally occurred and MLB began their investigation, he only had 15 games remaining when the suspension was announced. That left him eligible to be activated on Sept. 2.
Since he was suspended, Urias has been training at the Dodgers’ Camelback Ranch Spring Training complex in Arizona. Urias has been a reliever for most of the 2019 season, but the club has used this time as an opportunity to build him up as a starter.
With his potential return date just around the corner, Urias is poised to report to a Minor League affiliate. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he will join High-A Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday night and is expected to throw multiple innings, per Jorge Castillo of the L.A. Times:
Julio Urias is scheduled to start for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday in his first game since MLB gave him a 20-game suspension for his domestic battery arrest in May. Roberts said Urias, who faced hitters in Arizona on Monday, will throw two or three innings
Overall in 27 games (six starts) this season, Urias is 4-3 with a 2.53 ERA, 3.59 FIP and 1.09 WHIP with 67 strikeouts and 23 walks in 67.2 innings. He has actually been better as a reliever, posting a 1.91 ERA out of the bullpen compared to 3.55 as a starter.
Urias will likely only need one or two outings before being activated, and he still has plenty of time to get back to where he was before the suspension with the postseason still a full month away.
In addition to Urias, there are also some more reinforcements on the way when rosters expand on Sept. 1. Dylan Floro and Rich Hill are both making progress in their respective rehabs, and David Freese, Kristopher Negrón, Ross Stripling, Tyler White and Alex Verdugo are all expected back soon as well.
Roberts will have some opens to make in regards to who his fourth starter will be in the postseason. Urias may be being built up, but he is still better suited for the bullpen considering Hill and Dustin May both have limited experiences as relievers.
