Dodgers News: Julio Urias Destined for Extended Spring Training

What was believed is official: Julio Urias won’t open the season in Los Angeles.

Dave Roberts confirmed Urias won’t join the team Opening Day. The team has an innings limit on Urias, though that number is unknown.

Julio Urias will not make the club. He is likely headed to extended spring training.

— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) March 28, 2017

Roberts said Urias will probably start in extended spring training then take a minor league assignment.

“He’s not going to open with us. He’s not going to be on the opening day roster,” Roberts said (via the Orange County Register). “He’s going to come to Los Angeles with us and just kind of be in that environment (for the Freeway Series) and throw a ‘pen or whatever Honey (Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt) has for him. And at that point in time, we’ve already had internal discussions about his program going forward.”

We analyzed Scott Boras’ comments about young arms. To fit his criteria, Urias would need to be limited to roughly 143 innings each for the next four seasons. That seems unlikely, but he could settle around the 150 mark this season.

Dodger fans may not see Urias at Chavez Ravine until June or later. L.A. doesn’t appear to have a concrete plan itself just yet.

Our analyst Brian Robitaille wrote about the Urias situation in his latest column. As Robitaille explans, it boils down to protecting the 20-year-old’s long-term health. The Dodgers need Urias available for the postseason, so to avoid a Stephen Strasburg-like shutdown, the team is giving him a late start.