Will Julio Urías pitch once more for the Dodgers?
Two days after the left-hander’s arrest on suspicion of legal home violence, it remained an unanswered query for the group Tuesday, casting a cloud of doubt over the Dodgers’ pitching plans for the remainder of the season.
“It’s for sure very unlucky,” supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned, initially of a six-game travel for which Urías didn’t accompany the group. “At the moment, it’s necessarily within the government’ and Main League Baseball’s courtroom, to do their due diligence. Clearly Julio isn’t right here with us, and for us, we’re simply sitting and ready as the method continues till we all know extra.”
Learn extra: Plaschke: Julio Urías merely can’t be allowed to pitch once more for the Dodgers
Urías used to be arrested Sunday evening whilst leaving the LAFC-Inter Miami football fit at BMO Box. He used to be booked in a Los Angeles prison and launched on $50,000 bond Monday morning. He has a courtroom date Sept. 27. Main points of the alleged incident have now not been made public.
Urías might be put on administrative depart whilst the league launches an investigation. He prior to now used to be investigated for violating MLB’s home violence coverage in 2019 and suspended 20 video games, even if he used to be now not charged with against the law.
With the playoffs starting subsequent month, his possibilities of returning to the mound earlier than the tip of the season are unclear, as is his long run with the group. Urias is scheduled to be a loose agent this offseason.
“Extraordinarily disappointing building,” mentioned Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who referred to as Urías on Monday to tell him he would not be touring with the group this week.
Learn extra: Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías arrested on suspicion of home violence
“For us at the moment,” Friedman added, “it’s having him and his representatives get to the bottom of this whilst we’re excited about each the close to and long run.”
The uncertainty will weigh on a Dodgers group that has struggled to search out consistency from its rotation. Lengthy earlier than Sunday, the state of the beginning pitching had emerged as a possible obstacle to postseason good fortune.
Urías has been a part of the issue. His 4.60 ERA in 21 begins is the easiest of his profession. His 11-8 document is his worst in any season he used to be basically a beginning pitcher. And after consecutive campaigns as a Cy Younger Award candidate, he has did not ship the type of manufacturing the Dodgers expected after they selected him as their opening day starter in March.
Nevertheless, Urías remained a key cog of their October plans.
He and Clayton Kershaw — who used to be the Dodgers’ starter for his or her collection opener towards the Miami Marlins on Tuesday evening — appeared more likely to be the one pitchers the group would agree with in conventional, full-length beginning roles come the playoffs.
Urías’ postseason monitor document — together with his a very powerful efficiency as a swingman within the membership’s 2020 International Collection name — used to be anticipated to assist secure a group of workers that, in spite of fresh enhancements, ranks simply sixteenth within the majors in group ERA.
If Urías doesn’t pitch within the playoffs, the Dodgers should scramble to make amends for his absence, with restricted choices. Tony Gonsolin and Dustin Would possibly each had been misplaced to Tommy John surgical procedures, and the group’s new additions at the mound have produced combined effects.
Kershaw might be compelled right into a heavier workload, probably striking extra pressure on a 35-year-old veteran who, in step with Roberts, nonetheless is coping with a shoulder damage that sidelined him all of July.
“The hope is he’s going to proceed to really feel higher,” Roberts mentioned of Kershaw. “However given the place he’s at bodily, it’s arduous to mention that’s going to occur. If we will be able to simply roughly cling right here and guess on him, I feel we’ll financial institution that.”
Rookie right-hander Bobby Miller might be requested to pitch extra October innings, a tall process for a 24-year-old who made his main league debut in overdue Would possibly.
The significance of Walker Buehler’s restoration from Tommy John surgical procedure additionally would building up — despite the fact that his go back is not any ensure.
Whilst Buehler pitched two blank innings in his first minor league rehabilitation get started Sunday, he’s going to want a minimum of two extra rehab outings earlier than rejoining the Dodgers, Roberts mentioned, or even then he isn’t anticipated to be absolutely constructed up for a starter’s workload.
Learn extra: Q&A: Here is what comes subsequent for Julio Urías and the Dodgers after his arrest
“What came about the day gone by [with Urías’ arrest] has no pertaining to his development,” Roberts mentioned of Buehler. “If we simply really feel relaxed that he’s wholesome and he can get main league hitters out, we be ok with that. And if we don’t, then we’re keen not to roughly pull that lever.”
Friedman nonetheless attempted to strike a assured tone when requested about the potential for now not having Urías in October.
“We really feel like we’re going to have numerous skill on our pitching group of workers in October,” Friedman mentioned. “We may now not know precisely who the 13 are going to be at the moment. However we really feel very assured that we will be able to be bringing some big-boy stuff to the desk.”
Roberts used to be hopeful Urías’ state of affairs would not function a distraction for the membership.
“I feel everybody feels the similar manner I do, so far as [it being] an excessively unlucky circumstance,” Roberts mentioned. “I feel our guys are in point of fact simply making an attempt to concentrate on lately and let issues play out as they are going to.”
Nonetheless, there’s no query: The most productive model of this yr’s Dodgers used to be one led at the mound via Urías.
And, if he is unavailable come the playoffs, it will create important headaches of their pursuit of a International Collection.
This tale at the beginning seemed in Los Angeles Instances.
