How might LA deploy flexible Urías vs. TB?
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If you were surprised that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts let Julio Urías pitch the ninth inning of Game 7 on Sunday night with franchise saves leader Kenley Jansen warming up, so was Urías.
“I would lie if I didn’t say it’s strange to me, especially knowing Kenley was out there, recognizing the way he works,” said Urías. “He’s a guy that really works and sets an example, and if I’m able to pitch the ninth inning, it’s because he’s shown us how to do it, and that really helps us. The moment they told me to go out for the ninth inning, I focused on that and getting those three outs.”
| Game | Date | Result | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gm 1 | Oct. 20 | LAD 8, TB 3 | Watch |
| Gm 2 | Oct. 21 | TB 6, LAD 4 | Watch |
| Gm 3 | Oct. 23 | LAD 6, TB 2 | Watch |
| Gm 4 | Oct. 24 | TB 8, LAD 7 | Watch |
| Gm 5 | Oct. 25 | LAD 4, TB 2 | Watch |
| Gm 6 | Oct. 27 | LAD 3, TB 1 | Watch |
Shop for postseason gear: • Dodgers' World Series roster same as NLCS
Urías had already thrown 101 pitches in his Game 3 start of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday. He was brought in on Sunday in the seventh inning with three days of rest, a half-inning after Kiké Hernández tied it up. Urías was left in for the eighth inning after Cody Bellinger’s homer gave the Dodgers a 4-3 lead after the left-hander had retired all six batters he faced.
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Urías was told to get the last three. But for as long as he has been in the organization, that situation has belonged to Jansen. Just not on Sunday, with the season on the line, as Roberts said he stuck with the hot hand.
Roberts has been vague about Urías’ role for the World Series. The manager hasn’t named starting pitchers for Game 2 on Wednesday night or Game 4 on Saturday night, and he ideally would hold back Urías to start Game 4 so he could be moderately rested for relief in a potential Game 7 the following Wednesday. Because bulk relievers Urías, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin each pitched on Sunday, Game 2 will be a bullpen game regardless of the starter.
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“Yeah, it’s certainly on the table,” Roberts said of holding back Urías to start Game 4. “To understand that there’s three games prior that we might need him, so to keep that optionality just makes sense. And for Julio to be in with us and understanding how we value him is helpful.”
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Worth noting
• Roberts was asked -- in the wake of the dislocated right shoulder Bellinger suffered while forearm-smashing Hernández in celebration of his go-ahead home run in Game 7 -- if he felt the need to lecture his players about safety protocol.
“I wish I would have had that talk before he did the forearm bump with Kiké,” said Roberts. “I think after seeing that, I think it’s pretty well noted.”
Roberts said Bellinger will play with a brace or harness to provide added stabilization for his non-throwing shoulder.
• Outfielder AJ Pollock is 8-for-35 this postseason, a decent rebound from last October, when he went 0-for-13 with 11 strikeouts against the Nationals in the NL Division Series.
“Last year was last year,” said Pollock. “It’s a crazy game we play. Obviously, it wasn’t my best showing. It was honestly, for me, bizarre. Weird couple of games. It wasn’t really hard at all to put it behind me. For me, it’s showing up, how I feel in the box. Kind of stuff you can control. You throw the results out of it. I feel I’ve been able to put some competitive at-bats together for the team.”