Going into the postseason, some wondered if the Los Angeles Dodgers starting rotation beyond Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw would be their biggest weakness, but that hasn’t been the case thanks in large part to Julio Urias.
He has arguably been the best pitcher in all of baseball this October, going 4-0 and allowing just one earned run in 16 innings across four outings.
As he gets set to take the mound in Game 4 of the World Series on Saturday night trying to pitch the Dodgers to a 3-1 series lead over the Tampa Bay Rays, Urias credited his work ethic for his postseason success.
“There were some shaky starts in the regular season but all the work I did with the coaches really built my confidence to be able to have it for [Saturday],” he said.
Urias has had all of his pitches working, constantly changing speeds to keep hitters off-balanced. He added that there isn’t one specific pitch he has been most pleased with so far this postseason.
“Everything. I’m blessed to have an opportunity to be on this roster and I’m happy that I get another chance to go out there,” Urias said.
What makes Urias’ performances so impressive is that he has done it both as a starter and a reliever, notably pitching three perfect innings of relief to close out Game 7 of the National League Championship Series.
“The plan is a little different,” Urias said of the roles. “It’s the notion of going out there and thinking more like a starter. I have experience now in both situations; I like starting, I like being in the bullpen. I’m just happy to have the opportunity.”
Urias credits learning from Maeda
Another pitcher that the Dodgers had in recent years who was able to go back and forth between the rotation and bullpen while maintaining a high level of success in Kenta Maeda.
He is now with the Minnesota Twins, but Urias credited Maeda for helping him evolve as a pitcher. “I learned a lot from him and really from everyone,” Urias said.
“You learn from the starters, you learn from guys in the bullpen. You try to observe them and pick up things on their routine. Whether it’s a starter and how he’s going to make a start, or a reliever and how he prepares to make his relief appearances. It’s something that gives me a lot of motivation, is being able to be around all this talent and learning from them.”
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