Urias, 19, holding up under spotlight
Bogaerts, BOS Altuve, HOU Ortiz, BOS Martinez, DET Nunez, MIN Hosmer, KC Kinsler, DET Mazara, TEX Escobar, LAA Saunders, TOR Bradley Jr., BOS Pedroia, BOS
The Los Angeles Dodgers are making every effort to protect Julio Urias’ abundant physical gifts, limiting him to 90 pitches an outing and monitoring his innings.
In the latest stage of his extended baptism by fire, the rookie left-hander got his first exposure to the Dodgers’ longstanding rivalry with the San Francisco Giants — on the road, in front of a national TV audience.
The Giants prevailed 2-1 to extend their lead in the National League West to five games, but the enduring impression from this game will be the skill and poise exhibited by a 19-yearold in his fourth major league start.
Urias was brilliant over five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and a walk until a two-run homer by Brandon Belt ended his night one out into the sixth. Urias struck out seven for the second game in a row.
“He obviously has good stuff,” said Belt, who struck out on a 94 mph fastball in the first inning and on an 80 mph curveball in the third. “To be in the big leagues at 19 years old you have to be pretty dang good.”
Urias has improved in each of his starts after allowing three runs and nine baserunners over 22⁄ innings in his debut May 27, when he was admittedly too pumped up.
The Dodgers, desperate for rotation help with five starters on the disabled list, have not exactly softened his landing in the majors. Urias’ first outing was at the defending NL champion New York Mets, and then he faced the majors-leading Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field before making his home debut against the Colorado Rockies’ potent offense.
“I’m glad about the opportunity,” Urias (pronounced oo-REE-as) said in Spanish. “Life is not easy. You always get bigger challenges, and you have to be able to overcome them to know whether you’re ready for this level.”
Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt said Urias was going through the same process three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw endured when he came up in 2008 at 20, learning how hard major league hitters battle and how to get them out.
Kershaw did not earn his first win until his 10th start, logging a 5.18 ERA through the first nine. In some ways Urias, 0-2 with a 5.82 ERA, is a step ahead of Kershaw at the same stage.
“I think at this age Urias has a big- ger arsenal than Clayton did when he first came up,” Honeycutt said. “Clayton was pretty much fastball, some changeups and curveballs, whereas Julio already has a slider in place and command to both sides with it.”
Urias’ advanced feel for pitching traces to his father, Carlos, a catcher for two years for a Mexican League farm club, and to a youth spent striving to reach the majors. Growing up in La Higuerita in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, Urias practiced in the dirt field built amid farmland by his grandfather and other relatives.
“When there were family celebrations like birthdays and pinatas, if they coincided with his baseball practice, he preferred to go to practice,” said Carlos Urias, who works for a teachers union. “Sometimes we would arrive at the end of the party and scrape the last bit of food left.
“So he missed out on some childhood activities, but he enjoyed being out on the field and had a dream, and thank God he accomplished it.”
There are still numerous lessons to learn. Besides adapting to a strike zone he has found narrower than in the minors and finding out how to go after hitters, Urias must navigate his increased visibility and celebrity.
“He drew plenty of media attention in the minors and handled it well,” said Dodgers coach Juan Castro, who has told Urias’ parents he’ll look after their son. “He’s understanding and learning what’s going on around him.”
Urias said fans had been recognizing him around town and when he made his first start at Dodger Stadium last Tuesday, the cheering for him was so loud, “You almost got the feeling you’re pitching in Mexico.”
The Dodgers expect veterans Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu to rejoin the rotation next month, at which time they might send Urias to the minors for more seasoning.
“He seems like he’s well ahead of his years,” Belt said. “It’s hard to throw out names like Kershaw or someone like that, but as far as stuff, he’s definitely up there.”