fbpx

Dodgers News: Julio Urias Not Yet Throwing Off Mound But Target For Return Remains July

Matt Borelli
2 Min Read
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias saw his 2017 campaign come to an abrupt end after dealing with shoulder pain and ultimately undergoing anterior capsule surgery last June.

Still just 21 years old, Urias was initially projected to be sidelined for one at least year after the operation was deemed successful. Given the severity of the injury and his age, it’s understandable why the Dodgers are being so cautious with their one-time top pitching prospect.

While Urias isn’t expected to pitch at all during the first half of the 2018 season, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is optimistic that he’ll return to game action in July, per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:

Urias didn’t throw off a mound during Spring Training, but recently began throwing from long distances for the first time since last season. A positive development was that he didn’t experience any pain while doing so.

Despite the progress, Urias’ throwing program was further delayed after having his tonsils removed at the beginning of April.

While it remains to be seen if the southpaw will return to a Major League mound in July as Roberts hopes, Urias will all but certainly begin his season on a lengthy Minor League rehab assignment to continue building up innings.

Once cleared and deemed healthy, Urias offers an intriguing option to an already solid Dodgers’ starting rotation that includes the likes of Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, Alex Wood, Kenta Maeda, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Walker Buehler.

Matt Borelli covers the Los Angeles Dodgers as a staff writer for Dodger Blue and holds similar responsibilities for Lakers Nation, a sister site with an emphasis on the Los Angeles Lakers. He also contributes to RamsNewswire.com and RaidersNewswire.com. An avid fantasy sports player, Matt is a former 2014 MLB Beat the Streak co-champion. His favorite Dodgers moment, among a list of many, is Clayton Kershaw's no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies in 2014. Follow him on Twitter: @mcborelli.