Julio Urías was named the winner of the 2022 Warren Spahn Award, which is presented annually by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame to the best left-handed pitcher in baseball. The award has been presented annually since 1999 and takes into account wins, ERA and strikeouts.
Urías, who was the recipient of the 2021 Warren Spahn Award, is the fifth player to ever win it multiple times.
After separating himself as the Majors’ only 20-game winner last year, Urías returned with another strong campaign in 2022. He emerged as the ace of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitching staff and finished 17-7 to go along with a 2.16 ERA, 3.71 FIP, 0.96 WHIP and 166 strikeouts across 175 innings over 31 starts.
Urías led the National League in ERA and ERA+ (194) but inexplicably was snubbed from the All-Star Game for a second consecutive year. The 26-year-old was a Cy Young Award finalists, placing third in voting.
“Last year I thought he was slighted as far as not being part of the conversation,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said in September of the Cy young Award. “This year, he’s back with another really good year. With all the numbers guys look at, with what he’s done this season, it’s worthy of the conversation. No doubt about it.
“I think Julio has been throwing the baseball as well as anybody in baseball since the (All-Star) break. Or even before the break, actually. I certainly don’t have a vote, but it’s hard to ignore what this guy does for a championship-caliber ballclub.
“He wasn’t an All-Star this year for some ridiculous reason, so to be able to be in that Cy Young conversation, I think that’s the floor.”
Clayton Kershaw is the only other Dodgers pitcher to win the Warren Spahn Award, doing so in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2017. Kershaw and Randy Johnson are the only four-time Warren Spahn winners.
Julio Urías named to All-MLB Team
While Urías was snubbed for the 2022 All-Star Game and arguably the Cy Young Award as well, he did earn All-MLB honors by being selected to the Second Team.
Urías was named to the All-MLB Second Team for 2021 as well.
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