The Los Angeles Dodgers placed Julio Urías on the 15-day injured list with a left hamstring strain moments before first pitch of Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Wander Suero was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Urías’ IL stint is retroactive to Friday, which makes June 3 the earliest he can be activated. However, more pressing for the Dodgers is now needing to fill spots in their starting rotation on Monday and Tuesday because Dustin May and Urías are both on the IL.
May’s absence is expected to be at least one month as he recovers from a right flexor pronator strain. May is going to receive a platelet-rich plasma injection and the Dodgers are hopeful he can avoid surgery.
Dodgers prospect Gavin Stone is likely to fill in for May. Who the Dodgers turn to as a replacement for Urías is less clear, although Michael Grove could be an early candidate.
Urías last pitched in the series opener at Busch Stadium, allowing six runs on six hits, including four home runs, in just three innings. Urías surrendered all four homers in the same inning, including giving up back-to-back-to-back long balls in his first career start against the Cardinals.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the team looked into whether Urías tipped pitches in the start and didn’t believe that was the root of his struggles. It’s unclear if the left hamstring issue may have played a part.
Overall this season, Urías is 5-4 with a 4.39 ERA, 5.32 FIP and 1.16 WHIP in 10 starts. The 14 home runs Urías has allowed is tied with Kansas City Royals’ Jordan Lyles for most in the Majors so far this year.
Suero is back up with the Dodgers for a second time this season. He allowed a combined three runs on one hit in 4.2 innings across three appearances with L.A. before getting optioned to OKC.
Will Bobby Miller replace Julio Urías in Dodgers rotation?
Bobby Miller is lined up to start Thursday for Triple-A Oklahoma City, which conceivably could come with the Dodgers in place of Urías instead.
However, when recently discussing the void created by May’s injury, Roberts indicated Miller was not yet on the verge of making his MLB debut.
The heralded Dodgers prospect has been slowed since Spring Training due to experiencing right shoulder soreness. Miller has made just four starts for OKC so far this season.
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