Julio Urias was the player who closed out the Dodgers’ 2020 World Championship, the first since 1988. The Mexican left-hander is still only 24 years old, as he’s been with the big league club six years now. He made his debut at only 19, which seems like forever ago.
But the other day, a comment I saw sparked my interest. It asked whether Urias was considered a Cy Young candidate so far this season. The competition is quite tough this year in the National League. You have pitchers such as Jacob deGrom, Brandon Woodruff, and Kevin Gausman who are all having great years.
Not to forget the rest of the Dodgers starting rotation, which includes two former Cy Young Award Winners, and they all easily can be candidates.
Urias is having a great 2021 season, he’s 7-1 with a 3.03 ERA. His 2.82 FIP is the lowest it’s ever been, and his 10.0 K/9 is his highest in four years. He is basically considered the Dodgers fourth starter, which is quite crazy, as many other clubs would love for their ace to post those numbers.
So far this season, Urias has pitched 62 ⅓ innings, striking out 70 batters and posting a WHIP of 0.82. Opponents are batting.196 off him and he’s only allowed 7 walks.
While I go back to the comment I mentioned earlier, it may be tough for Urias to accomplish that feat in 2021. However, I think it can certainly be a possibility in the future. He is still only 24 years old and has six years of MLB service under his belt.
Whether that may be with the Dodgers or another club remains to be seen. He will be eligible to become a free agent after the 2023 season, should he not be extended. So far in 2021, the Dodgers are 8-2 in games that Urias has started.
He currently is tied in second place for most wins in the majors—teammate Clayton Kershaw also has seven wins. This is another thing to look at of how insanely good the Dodgers pitching is with two guys in the rotation having that many wins at this point of the season.
Urias’ opponents batting average of .196 ranks tied for 15th best in the majors. The whole Dodgers starting rotation excluding the fifth spot all rank among the best for best opponents batting average.
It is not out of the question that Urias may possibly make his first All-Star appearance this year, as there are external factors that weigh in such as injury replacements and start dates prior to the All-Star game. But it is certainly safe to say that there will be multiple Dodger pitchers at the 2021 All-Star Game.
Urias started off with five-plus perfect innings in his most recent start against the Giants, and with already six no-hitters taking place this season, the hype was starting to build. However, he finished with six innings pitched allowing two runs and striking out ten batters. Urias has reached double-digit strikeouts three times this season. Urias will make his next start against the Giants, who still have not beaten the Dodgers. He is set to pitch Saturday against right-hander Logan Webb.
After Thursday night’s win of 4-3 against the Giants, the Dodgers have taken all four meetings so far this year. On Friday, the Dodgers will send Walker Buehler to the mound who is 3-0 and has posted a 2.78 ERA this year, he will face Anthony DeSclafani, who the Dodgers tagged for ten runs last time out in only 2-⅔ innings.
The first pitch for tonight is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. Pacific.
Whenever there is talk about the Dodgers long range plans and who they’ll wind up spending money on, Buehler is always part of that conversation. Yet I’ve never heard Urias’ name mentioned and he may be just as valuable. Both have built reputations for great post season performances and with CK now past prime age for pitchers and Bauer only committed for two more years (really only one more), it seems to me that Buehler and Julio are the two future mainstays of the rotation and we should count on doing whatever we need to in order to keep both here in LA.
Urias, as Jose mentioned, is a free agent after the 2023 season (going into his age 27 season) and Buehler after the 2024 season (going into his age 30 season). If, for some reason, the front office feels they can’t afford to keep both of these guys, it almost seems like Urias is the better bet, if for no reason other than age.
You are right jeff. Position players are dime a dozen. Top of the rotation pitchers are few and far between and very expensive. Urias has been babied through his early years, and has not yet provided any real value. We can’t let him go now.
I had predicted this Spring we would have a dominant year from Urias as he is finally healthy, changed his mechanics, has been injury-free after surgeries, and was dominant in winning in the Playoffs & World Series.
Urias is my favorite young Dodger as he has battled through adversity. Urias’s pitch mix will keep him successful.
Just got home. Tonight’s game was enough to piss anyone off. BP gave SF the lead, then after Barnes heroics, and Pujols near game winner, Jansen gives up 3 and they lose for the first time to the Giants. Betts is in a horrendous slump that has gone on for weeks. He is either hurt or pressing. Neuse, Tsutsugo, and Peters have done little to show me they belong with the team or in the organization. What ever is wrong with Tsutsugo, the hitting instructors have obviously not found the cure. Neuse walked into one the other day as did Peters. But I am so ready for Belli and McKinstry to be back. The sooner the better. At least they finally cut bait with Santana who has not seen home plate since the Trump administration.
Don’t worry Bear. This team has great depth on the farm.
Their depth arrives tonight in the form of a real MLB player. Cody Bellinger. Most of that bunch down at OKC is not ready for prime time. If Luke Raley never sees a Dodger uni again it will be fine with me. Tsutsugo should be DFA’d. He is a failed experiment and could not hit water if he fell out of a boat. Neuse has a decent infield glove, but keep his heinie out of the outfield. Never take Taylor out of a game again..