Dodgers Way Quick Hits: Urias, Standings, All Stars, Pederson

Julio Urias was once the headline of every Los Angeles newspaper as he made his debut at just 19-years old. That was in 2016 where he pitched from both the bullpen and the rotation amassing 77 innings pitched, a 3.39 ERA, 84 strikeouts, and a 119 ERA+. The young lefty looked strong in 2016 but the following season was the tale of a new pitcher. In 2017, Urias went 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in 31.1 innings pitched. His ERA+ plummeted from the previous season’s mark to just 78 and ultimately lead to a demotion back to Triple-A. In the minors, Urias excelled but after just six starts with OKC, the then 20-year old lefty was shut down with a torn anterior capsule. The injury required surgery and has removed Urias from game action since June 10 of last year. But, on Saturday, June 2, Dave Roberts told the media that Urias is expected to be game ready by mid-July. The now 21-year old phenom has an opportunity to provide a huge boost to a team that has bounced back nicely from a rough start to the season. With so many players on the DL, Urias’s impending presence will be a much-needed lift in LA. His role is still undetermined.

Other Notes…

• The Dodgers’ 2018 season got off to a rough start, to say the least. The team spent a few weeks in the cellar of a division that, as a whole, has struggled quite a bit. But, with the Dodgers most recent surge, their luck seems to have changed and so too have their statistics. The team ranks within the top 10 in many statistical categories on both offense and with their pitching. Along with their recent stat surge, the team’s Pythagorean win percentage, a record calculated using both runs allowed and runs scored, would suggest the team has gotten unlucky in 2018. That record is 33-28, five games ahead of their actual record, 28-30.

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• All-Star voting has opened for the 2018 All-Star game in Washington DC. While the Dodgers may not have too many worthy batters this year, outfielder Matt Kemp is more than deserving of his third career All-Star nod. But, with a very strong NL outfield group, Kemp faces a tough battle to get on the roster for the game and he will need all the votes he can get. Click on this link to vote for Kemp and all of the other Dodgers to give them a chance at representing Los Angeles in this year’s game.

• Joc Pederson, who did not enjoy a very successful season in 2017, seems to have rebounded nicely in 2018. As of June 2, Pederson is hitting .265 with a .795 OPS. The left-handed hitter has three home runs this year, two of which were hit against Colorado on June 3. Going into the season, many were calling for Pederson to be traded but his value in both last year’s World Series and this year’s season should be more than enough to keep Pederson in Dodger Blue for the foreseeable future.

Next: Dodgers: The Time is Now to Go After Chris Archer