Dodgers News: Julio Urias Set to Return Saturday Against Royals
The Dodgers are finally getting ace Julio Urias back from the injured list. For real this time. There’s a return date and the whole thing. On Tuesday in Denver, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Urias would come off the injured list to make a start against the Royals in Kansas City on Saturday.
When Julio hit the IL, it hadn’t been the type of season anyone expected. He entered the year expecting to pitch his way to his first All-Star berth and a large sum of money in free agency in the winter. However, with a 4.39 ERA over his 10 starts, he looked to be battling himself up until he hurt his hamstring during a start in St. Louis.
Now, a little more than six weeks later, Urias is back and Roberts believes the best is still to come for the left-hander.
“It stabilizes the rotation. I mean, he’s a world champion pitcher. I think he’s going to come back with a vengeance. This year was certainly highly anticipated for him. It hasn’t gone the way had expected, so I think he’s going to be on a mission.”
Via SNLA
Even a less than 100% Julio would be better than some of what the Dodgers have got out of guys like Noah Syndergaard and Michael Grove in the rotation this season. Things have been so rough, the club is going with another bullpen game on Wednesday in Colorado rather than hand Grove the ball to open the game.
Speaking of Grove, he’s the most likely odd man out when Urias is activated on Saturday. Along with Julio, the Dodgers are also expecting veteran reliever Daniel Hudson back this weekend in KC, putting the roster in possibly its best position yet to rattle off a nice winning streak.
Best Version of Julio Yet?
Dodgers broadcaster Jose Mota caught up with Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain at Dodger Stadium last weekend and talked about the impending return of Urias. Mota revealed that the hamstring injury affected the pitcher more than he led on and that the longer shut down was a good thing in the long run for the 2020 World Series champ.
“When he had this injury, he came and talked to me in St. Louis and he said ‘this doesn’t feel right’ and I said I think you’ve got to probably not pitch for a while. He said (the injury) was affecting other things. … I’m glad he’s taking his time to get healthy because he knows the responsibility he has to this team and these fans and I owe it to them to come back and stay.”
Via Dodgers Nation TV
Urias is 5-4 with a 4.39 ERA in 55.1 innings this season. Over his previous two seasons, he was a combined 37-10 with a 2.57 ERA over 360.2 innings. That’s the guy we’re hoping to get back for the second half of the season.
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