May 28th, 2016 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka There is no denying that Dodgers top left-handed pitching prospect Julio Urias struggled in his major league debut on Friday night. After all, he allowed three runs on four hits and threw 36 pitches in the first inning alone. However, he did not allow another run after that. In other words, Urias experienced the exact same butterflies in his MLB debut that every pitcher who ever played the game experienced in their major league debut over the 147-year history of the game – period.
After collecting his first career major league strikeout against Mets leadoff hitter Curtis Granderson, Urias allowed a double, got another strikeout, issued a walk, gave up another double and two more singles before getting an inning-ending fly out. And while this is certainly not how Dodger fans, the Dodgers or Urias himself had envisioned his major league debut would go, the 19-year-old Culiacán, Mexico native received virtually zero offensive support from his teammates through his 2.2 innings of work. In fact, the only run Urias received in support was on a sacrifice fly, with the Dodgers going 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position on the night.
Urias recorded his first career strikeout on the very first batter he faced – Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
Urias was relieved with two outs in the third inning after loading the bases on a single and two consecutive walks. And though Dodgers right-hander Chris Hatcher got out of the inning without allowing a run, the best the Dodgers could do for Urias was a walk, a single and a fielding error on a sac bunt by Urias himself ahead of Utley’s sac fly. Urias ended his night with a pitching line of three runs on five hits with four walks and three strikeouts; so to point the finger of blame at him for the Dodgers eventual 6-5 loss is what Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully would call “fertilizer.”
Utley accounted for four of the Dodgers five RBIs on Friday night, including this RBI sacrifice fly in the top of the third inning. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
The Mets added two more runs on solo home runs by Mets third baseman David Wright (off of Hatcher in the fourth inning) and Mets center fielder Juan Lagares (off of Joe Blanton in the fifth inning) and it looked as though Urias was destined to suffer the loss in his MLB debut. But with their backs to the wall, the Dodgers’ bats finally showed up in the top of the ninth inning on back-to-back singles by Adrian Gonzalez and Howie Kendrick, followed by a Joc Pederson strikeout, followed by another single by Yasiel Puig to load the bases. This was followed by a walk to Yasmani Grandal to make it a 4-2 ballgame, only to have pinch-hitter Trayce Thompson strike out to leave the bases still loaded but now with two outs.
Down to their final out, the absolute last guy Mets fans wanted to see step up to the plate was Chase Utley; the same Chase Utley who had been bombarded with boos and chants of “Ut-Ley Sucks” all night long. But rather than cower to the chants, Utley, who had the Dodgers lone run batted in on the night before the Grandal walk, promptly laced a line drive double into the right-center field gap to clear the bases and tie the game at 5-5. Utley alertly took third base on the throw and for a moment – amidst even louder boos directed at the 37-year-old Dodgers second baseman – it appeared that the Dodgers might actually pull a rabbit out of their hat and win this thing. Unfortunately, Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager struck out to end the remarkable rally and comeback – but not before young Julio Urias was off the hook for what had appeared to be a sure loss in his MLB debut.
But as he has done often in his three-year MLB career, Dodgers right-handed reliever Pedro Baez immediately gave up a walk-off solo home run to the very same Curtis Granderson that Urias had struck out to begin the game eight innings earlier. It was the fifth home run Baez has allowed this season and an absolute crusher for the Dodgers after mounting a remarkable comeback.
Urias absolutely deserves another start. Hopefully the Dodgers brass realizes this.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
So before fans look at Julio Urias as the reason for the Dodgers painful 6-5 loss to the Mets on Friday night, they should look first at the lack of run support given him and, of course, the three solo home runs coughed up by Messrs. Hatcher, Blanton and Baez.
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I’m not blaming Urias, but after all the hype (“Defining moment for our franchise”) I had expected him to last three or four innings. For most of the game the offense was as futile as ever. At the risk of upsetting everyone I will also point out that if Seager could have gotten Utley in from third with one out we would have seen Kenley Jansen in the bottom of the ninth instead of Baez.
Dunno why the obvious truth should upset anyone, let alone everyone.
Anyone upset by facts is just reacting emotionally and needs to get a grip.
Wish I knew what you meant.
It’s curious why the Dodger brass chose Citi Field for Urias’ debut. He did well considering the circumstances. It was “out of the fire, into the frying pan.” Now that all the hoopla is out of the way his next start should be a piece of cake.
The kid had his pitches up in the zone and was clearly swatting at butterflies. Still, one could see the maturity in his execution on several pitches. He’ll settle in and do well. Heck, he even struggled at AAA his first couple games and then tore it up.
It was a pressure-packed debut for sure.
the reason it was not a total dud for me is because the kid basically beat himself imo
he was getting in & out of jams and would have lasted at least 5 w/out a pitch count.
most pitchers even our beloved kershaw have struggled at first. his control will get better with time
another thing that sone people forget is that he went against. legit playoff contender in the mets. his next start hopefully is a weaker opponent and with the butterflies all but gone we should see a different pitcher out there
One thing I’ll never forget about last night was that surprising comeback the Dodgers made in the top of the ninth inning. Just kidding around TBW and I wore our caps on crooked, “rally caps” so to speak and as we all know it worked. Too bad it wasn’t enough.
It was good to find out later that the Giants also lost, so we didn’t lose any ground.
he actually looked good out there. His location was a little off. But he looked very mature
Does anyone here know if Urias tends to talk to himself when taking the signs from the catcher?
I’m guessing he does.
Urias has been optioned back to OKC. No corresponding move announced yet.
Disappointed by this news. Can’t say I’m surprised by it though… the kid could use a start at Dodger Stadium with the hometown crowd behind him. It would definitely buoy is confidence.
Urias definitely didn’t get any borderline calls for strikes, unlike deGrom who seemed to get every borderline call. I saw two different strike zones from Bellino, and it’s as frustrating as all get out. That’s the league though. You need to establish yourself before the human umps start giving you the calls. Did I see things from a biased perspective? Probably, but couldn’t he have given the kid a little bit of a break? The reason Urias got hit hard in the 1st was because the ump was squeezing him to death, and he had to lay those strikes in there up in the zone.
It’s no coincidence that Kershaw’s control got better with time because his reputation got better, and the squeezing of his strike zone stopped. I fear Urias will have to go through the same thing, unless Torre institutes machines to call balls and strikes in the near future.