Dodgers News: Clayton Kershaw Thinks Julio Urias Deserves to Start on Opening Day
On Friday we’ll know for sure who will be the Dodgers opening day starter on March 30th. The signs are pointing to Julio Urias and long-time ace Clayton Kershaw is perfectly fine with that.
Yesterday, after his third spring training, Kershaw was asked who he feels should get the game one nod. He kept his decision-making simple. It should go to the best pitcher.
“He deserves it. It’s a special thing to get to do,” Kershaw added. “I think it should be whoever pitched the best the year before, and he did that. So he deserves it.”
Via Jack Harris, LA Times
Clayton Kershaw has started on opening day a franchise record nine times with his last coming in 2021. It would have been 10 but a back issue sidelined him in 2020 and Dustin May got the nod. Hyun-Jin Ryu started in 2019. Last season, Walker Buehler got his first game one assignment but he’s recovering from Tommy John surgery and is expected to be out for the season.
Urias is the most deserving Dodger on the staff. He’s been the undisputed workhorse of the rotation for the last few years going 40-10 with a 2.66 ERA over 73 starts since 2020. Since coming back from 2017 shoulder surgery, the left-hander out of Mexico is even better with a 2.61 ERA over 114 games, including 81 starts.
Julio is also a free agent after the season and any show of appreciation and respect coming from the Dodgers side can only help in any future contract talks.
Looking for more Dodgers News? Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest news, updates, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more!
The small token of giving Urias the opening-day starting assignment is a drop in the ocean of his discontent and desire for Boras Bucks. Too little too late.
That being said, of course he should start.