After a season filled with unconventional circumstances and decisions, 2017 may hold much of the same for Julio Urias. Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and manager Dave Roberts have confirmed the young left-hander will be on an innings limit.
But what’s uncertain is how the club will go about managing Urias’ workload this season. He’s a candidate to remain in extended Spring Training or begin the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City. Or Urias may very well pitch his way into the Dodgers’ Opening Day rotation.
He’s made two starts this spring but on Friday was utilized as a reliever for the first time. Urias explained the different role didn’t affect his mindset, via J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group:
“I try to work on everything as a starter. Today I went in as a reliever, but you have to go in with the mentality that you’re going to see batters two, three times so you have to work on sequences. That’s what I try to focus on.”
In his two Cactus League starts, Urias allowed a combined one run on two hits, walked one and collected four strikeouts in three innings pitched. Against the Texas Rangers, he fired two shutout innings out of the bullpen, with three strikeouts.
Roberts has not yet revealed if the 20-year-old will remain in the bullpen or slide back into the rotation. Last season, Urias threw 127.2 innings during time spent in Triple-A and the Majors, postseason included. His previous career high 87.2 innings pitched, set in 2014.
