The Dodgers welcomed left-hander Julio Urias back from the 15-day injured list earlier this evening to start tonight’s game against the Royals. Urias has been on the shelf since late May with a hamstring strain and suffered a setback early last month as he neared a return. He now appears to be fully healthy, stepping back into the rotation with a 4.39 ERA and 5.30 FIP through ten starts this season. A free agent at season’s end, Urias’s performance will be of great importance not only to the Dodgers, but to Urias himself as the 27-year-old hurler looks poised to enter the open market as one of the top arms available.
Urias’s return couldn’t come at a better time, as Mike DiGiovanna of The LA Times notes that club ace Clayton Kershaw is dealing with inflammation in his shoulder following his start against the Rockies on Tuesday. Kershaw received a cortisone injection on Thursday and hopes to return to the mound Monday without missing a start, though comments from manager Dave Roberts indicate that may not come to pass. Roberts told reporters, including DiGiovanna, that Kershaw’s bullpen session went “just OK” and that Kershaw would likely require a trip to the injured list if he isn’t ready for Monday’s start. Should that situation come to pass, right-hander Michael Grove would likely fill in for Kershaw on Monday.
Any missed time for Kershaw, who sports a sterling 2.55 ERA and 3.53 FIP through 95 1/3 innings of work this season, would be a blow to the Dodgers, though the club is fortunate to have a variety of young hurlers on tap to cover innings as needed. Grove, Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan, and Gavin Stone have combined to start nearly a quarter of the club’s games so far in the 2020 campaign as each of Urias, Tony Gonsolin, Noah Syndergaard, and Dustin May have missed time this season.
Utility man Chris Taylor, on the other hand, has not been so easy for the club to fill in for. Taylor went on the injured list last weekend with a bone bruise that has kept him from taking the field since June 16th. With youngsters Michael Busch and Miguel Vargas both having struggled at the big league level this season, the club has been forced to get creative in covering for Taylor, using Mookie Betts in the infield more often while relying on depth options such as Johnny DeLuca and Yonny Hernandez. Unfortunately for LA, the club figures to be without Taylor for awhile yet, as Roberts tells reporters (including DiGiovanna) that the 32 year old won’t return to action until after the All Star break.
In 182 trips to the plate this season, Taylor has slashed .206/.275/.455 good for a 94 wRC+ that clocks in at just below league average. Still, that production has been valuable to the club thanks to Taylor’s ability to play all over the diamond; Taylor has logged time at center field, second base, third base, shortstop, and left field throughout the 2023 campaign, with most of his innings coming at the latter three positions.
The Dodgers have already seen that Grove can’t cut it at the MLB level this year. That experiment should be over until next season.
They have no other option until the trade deadline. He isn’t even that bad. He just needs to be a 1-2 inning reliever/opener.
Even at the trade deadline i wouldn’t expect a huge splash from the Dodgers as they no longer have the minor league depth to make a huge deal. They may end up with a Paul Blackburn type that they can get without trading Pepiot or Stone. They could probably get Scherzer back if they agree to pay all of his salary
The Dodgers have a bunch of good prospects. Michael Busch is a clear trade chip. They have 2 highly regarded catchers in the minors also. They can shop in any aisle that they want to……
Keith Law ranked the Dodgers farm system number 1. So I’m guessing they have “minor league depth”
Besides Bobby Miller and Emmet Sheehan, the other rookies have been big disappointments. Vargas, the guy who was touted as a great hitter, was at .197 today. Not much on the defensive side. Outman at .234 has way too much swing and miss, but unlike Cody Bellinger doesn’t give the club elite defense. The words “overhyped” and “overvalued” come to mind.
The first major trade has already happened. Chapman to TX
You think Grove would be better if he was a Lefty?
Grove looked good out of the bullpen. But they seem obsessed with making him a starter
He has stuff that should play up in the bullpen, as he usually dominates 1st time through the order and then falls apart. Once their injury situation gets sorted out, he should be used to cover innings and potentially higher-leverage spots from the pen.
I agree with this. They just can’t seem to keep the rotation together. As soon as they get one guy back another one goes down. He’s got really good stuff.
Sounds like a lot of teams
“Utility man Chris Taylor, on the other hand, has not been so easy for the club to fill in for..”
You think they’d give Boston a case of beer for Enrique Hernandez?
If the case of beer has ever legitimately wore a Dodger uniform and it’s prime ended two years ago, they may have a genuine interest.
Get back in line. I offered Paul DeJong first.
Only if it was Bud Light.
Urias is a scumbag. Hope his value goes way down.
Im wondering how much money will Urias get after this season. Im hoping the FO just offering QO for him and makes the Mets pay more for him. Just get Ohtani man, dude is money making machine. Just looks the Angels stadium, lots of Japanese ad.
I actually was looking at Kershaws innings pitched a few weeks ago. He’s been solid. But I Was thinking they might run him into the ground. He’s started every game. Has a ton of innings, for him, to this point in the season. Plus his history. Seems about right he’s hurt again. What were they thinking.
Another bad outing tonight. That payoff free agent contract might be starting to look a little more thin.
Scott Boras disagree with that LOL
Yeah, KC was the perfect team for him to face, and it did not go well. Urias’ tailspin continues. Meanwhile, Pepiot has been out now for more than 3 months with a strained oblique, and he hasn’t even started a rehab assignment. This must be the worst oblique strain in the history of sports.
Yeah, wtf is up with that? Did his oblique fall off or what!?
He’s as good in his walk year as Conforto was.