Dodgers Recall Josh Ravin, Option Julio Urías to Oklahoma City

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(Photo courtesy of si.com)

The Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday recalled right-handed pitcher Josh Ravin and optioned left-handed pitcher Julio Urias. Each player will trade spots on the Triple-A Oklahoma City 25-man roster.

The 29-year-old Ravin will make his first stint with the big league club this year after going 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in four games with the OKC Dodgers. He has struck out 11 batters against only two walks in an even five innings of work with Oklahoma City, and has held batters to a .167 average (3-for-18). Ravin, who started the season on the disabled list with a right groin strain, appeared in 10 games for the Dodgers last year allowing just one run in 9-2/3 innings pitched and limited batters to a .065 average (2-for-31), while striking out 13 against four walks. The West Hills native is in his third season with Los Angeles, going 2-1 with a 3.79 ERA (8 ER/19.0 IP) in 19 career games, while punching out 25 batters in 19 innings thrown.

A career minor leaguer, the 6’4″ 215 lb. righty finally made his major league debut for the Dodgers in 2015 after being buried in several different farm systems for 10 years.

Equipped with the ability to crank his heater into the triple digits, Ravin also commands a very hard slider, normally clocked in the 85-87 range. He had a progressing changeup back in his starting pitching days, but put the development on the back-burner when he converted to a reliever full-time back in 2012.

According to Eric Stephen of True Blue LA, Ravin struck out 13 of 35 batters faced (37.1%), a strikeout rate behind only Kenley Jansen (41.4%) and Grant Dayton (38.6%) among all 31 Dodgers to throw a pitch in 2016. All this while primarily utilizing a four-seamer which averaged 97.65 MPH — tops on the entire squad.

Urías, 20, pitched Saturday night against the Marlins allowing a career-high seven runs (six earned) on seven hits in 2.1 innings, his shortest outing as a starter, as he took his second loss of the season in the Dodgers’ 10-6 defeat. In five starts this season, Urías has gone 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA (14 ER/23.1 IP) and has struck out 11 batters against 14 walks.

Before optioning Urías, the Dodgers were carrying six starting pitchers on their 25-man roster, seemingly wasting a valuable bench spot, especially considering that Yasiel Puig has been nursing a sore back. With the move, the Dodgers bullpen is boosted back to eight pitchers.

(Dai Sugiura furnished some information provided in this report)

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