The Dodgers are set to get lefty Julio Urías back from a stint on the injured list this coming weekend. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Tuesday that they are planning on Urías taking the start Saturday against the Royals in Kansas City (via Bill Plunkett).
Urías has been out since May 18 due to a hamstring injury. Prior to the injury, he was 5-4 with a 4.39 ERA (101 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP and 53 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings. It was a slow start for Urías, who won 20 games in 2021 and won the NL ERA title last season, finishing third in NL Cy Young voting behind Sandy Alcantara and Max Fried.
Urías made a minor-league rehab start Sunday for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, working four innings and allowing one run on two hits. He struck out eight and still only needed 60 pitches in a thoroughly impressive outing, albeit against inferior competition.
It's always good to get a pitcher the caliber of Urías back from injury, but the Dodgers have been ravaged with rotation injuries all season and this will alleviate some of the pressure on 35-year-old Clayton Kershaw and the youngsters -- like Emmet Sheehan and Bobby Miller -- who have been thrown in the proverbial fire.
The Dodgers enter play Tuesday with a 43-34 record, sitting third in the NL West. They hold the third NL wild-card spot and are only three games out in the division. They also have a soft schedule here in the coming days, playing three games in Colorado this week before visiting Kansas City for three and then hosting the reeling Pirates for a four-game series in Dodger Stadium.
