Dodgers’ Julio Urias to make first start in two months Thursday
Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias will make a spot start Thursday against the San Francisco Giants opposite Madison Bumgarner, manager Dave Roberts announced.
Roberts said the decision, which was hinted at all week, was made in order to give the Dodgers’ regular five starters an extra day of rest during the club’s stretch of 18 games in 18 days. Urias’ insertion will push the Dodgers’ rotation back a day. Walker Buehler will start Friday against the Colorado Rockies, followed by Hyun-Jin Ryu on Saturday and Kenta Maeda on Sunday.
Asked if the Dodgers will keep a six-man rotation next week, Roberts said it’s “right now, tomorrow only.”
“We just feel that the best thing through October is to give these guys in this stretch right now an extra day,” Roberts said.
Caleb Ferguson is expected to assume long-relief duty behind Urias. Roberts said Ross Stripling, a converted starter, will “be in the mix too.”
Urias began the season in the starting rotation out of necessity after Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill were placed on the injured list. The 22-year-old left-hander made four starts. The fourth was his best; Urias gave up one hit over six scoreless against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 18. He was moved to the bullpen for an unusual role, pitching multiple innings at a time with ample rest between outings as the Dodgers seek to curtail his workload two years after major shoulder surgery.
He appeared in five games as a reliever before he was arrested May 13 on suspicion of domestic battery. He was placed on administrative leave for seven days and returned to the Dodgers on May 21. Major League Baseball’s investigation into the matter remains open, but Los Angeles city prosecutors didn’t file charges against him. Instead, he was slated for a city attorney hearing where he was to be told no action will be taken in connection with the report as long as he is not arrested again for violent criminal behavior for the next year. He also must complete a 52-week domestic violence counseling program.
Urias’ performance has been uneven since the reinstatement. He has given up runs in three of his seven outings, including three home runs. In his last appearance Monday against the Giants, he walked the first two batters he faced and gave up an unearned run.
Roberts theorized Urias’ problem has been trying to ease his way into outings before encountering trouble and ramping up the intensity.
“I think it’s just coming out, for me, a going-as-hard-as-you-can-for-as long-as-you-can mentality,” Roberts said. “I think he can do a little better job of that. I think there’s a little bit of feeling your way through into a game.”
Sign up for our Dodgers newsletter »
Former player sues Dodgers consultant
Former Dodger Rob Segedin filed a lawsuit against the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic and Dr. Steven Shin, the team’s hand consult, last November alleging they “provided improper diagnosis, management, surgery, care and treatment resulting in bodily injury and pain and suffering.”
Segedin underwent surgery on his right wrist in November 2017. He played in 35 games for triple-A Oklahoma City last season before retiring. A utility player, Segedin appeared in 53 games for the Dodgers between the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
Dodgers on the Tube
The Dodgers are slated to play in the first Major League Baseball game ever broadcast on YouTube against the Philadelphia Phillies on July 18. First pitch is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. PDT. The game will not be blacked out in the Los Angeles market.
Twitter: @jorgecastillo
Are you a true-blue fan?
Get our Dodgers Dugout newsletter for insights, news and much more.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
